As regulators returned to the fray following the summer to continue what has been a fizzing year of antitrust enforcement PaRR brought lawyers, in-house counsel and regulators together to discuss some of the hot topics under consideration in Europe.
In a debate on damages actions focusing on London developments, an EU official alluded to hard fought attempts under way to extract comprehensive disclosure of EC decisions, with a view to use as evidence.
In a 12-month cycle that has witnessed two mobile telecoms deals seeking to reduce the market players from four to three collapse, another official told the forum that the onus is on mobile operators to prove that such mergers can work for consumers; and to furnish the authority with the necessary information.
Elsewhere the forum heard that the Commission is unlikely to recommend a ‘one-stop shop’ for leniency applicants despite strong market demand. Instead some form of pan-European ‘marker’ system does appear more likely to be included among final proposals drawn from the body’s consultation into national competition authorities, which is expected later this year.
Data and technology were to the fore of discussion, with one panel considering cutting-edge technology and tactics deployed by agencies conducting dawn raids, and tactics for handling such raids; whilst the EU’s data supervisor’s policy analyst described an upcoming initiative to create a regulatory clearing house to deal with the interface of data and competition law.
We also made time in the programme to consider broadly the current status of Brexit, drawing two insightful guest speakers to consider what hazards and opportunities might be expected from forthcoming negotiations.
PaRR have published a number of articles for their subscribers that reflect some of the key issues discussed at the event. If you don't have a subscription, you can register for a free trial.
Written by
Jeremy Fleming-Jones
Editor and Brussels Bureau Chief
PaRR
Jeremy is the Editor and Brussels Bureau Chief at the Public and Regulatory Report (PaRR). With a decade of experience covering Brussels legal and political scene, Jeremy is a journalist with roots working as a solicitor in the City of London.
Jeremy returned to legal sector journalism at PaRR from EurActiv, where he covered finance, trade and tech regulatory issues at the multilingual on-line news site. After working as a corporate litigator with Travers Smith Braithwaite, Jeremy became City correspondent for the Law Society Gazette. In 2005, he set up European Lawyer magazine’s Brussels bureau, and has covered regulatory and political issues affecting trade and competition freelance for Europolitics, the UK Press Association, Financial Times and Strategic Risk magazine.
