Competition & Antitrust
Most Competition & Antitrust work in Brussels is in three key areas: M&A approvals, Cartel or abuse of dominant position investigations, State aid cases for the alleged beneficiaries, for the targeted States and for the complainants.
Most euros spent in Brussels on Competition & Antitrust work are with the law firms. Hence, the legal lobbying firms have a particular advantage in providing relevant services and working alongside the relevant competition colleagues.
However, since the 1990s a number of Brussels public affairs consultancies have developed Competition & Antitrust practices which provide added-value services not typically provided by the law firms. For example, media relations is a sensitive area that requires specialist expertise and good press contacts, as a bad story can lead to a fall in stock price and even the Commission considering a case in a new light. Beyond Brussels some networked agencies can offer outreach to National Competition Authorities and relevant stakeholders around the European Union.