EU & Competition
Intellectual Property
Media, Communications &
Technology
Regulatory - Electronic
communications
EU &
Competition
Competition authorities including the European Commission and
national competition authorities have extensive powers to
investigate anti-competitive practices. Furthermore, many sectoral
regulators have powers to enforce competition law against
businesses operating within their sectors. Olswang has a wealth of
experience advising clients involved in competition law
investigations:
- Cartel investigations and dawn raids: The competition
authorities in the EU and throughout the world are prioritising the
detection and punishment of cartel activity. Our team has
experience advising clients which are the subject of an
investigation (both at a national level and multi-jurisdictionally)
- often this involves dealing with dawn raids and responding to
detailed information requests. Where relevant we can help clients
to prepare leniency applications.
- Abuse of a dominant position: We have experience advising
companies who are the subject of allegations of abuse of a dominant
position and face complaints or investigations.
- Market and sector investigations: Competition authorities are
also concentrating on markets which they consider not to be
operating in the best interests of consumers. We often advise
clients affected by such investigations and provide advice
including considering the client's strategic goals, drafting
submissions on their behalf and representing them at hearings.
- Submitting complaints: We can help to distil competition law
arguments and prepare complaints to the competition
authorities.
In addition, merger control is a key part of our competition
practice. We handle merger filings before the European
Commission and the Belgian Competition Authority, and coordinate
multiple jurisdictions filings throughout the world.
We also assist clients on complex issues in the public-private
area, including questions relating to the provision of financial
assistance by EU governments and public bodies (State aid).
We also advise on general EU law issues, such as free movement
rules and compliance of national legislation and regulations with
EU law.
Finally, we assist clients in competition law compliance and
risk management work. Our work in this field includes analysing
business strategies, practices and agreements, auditing business
practices and providing tailor-made competition law compliance
training sessions.
Our team has a great deal of experience liaising and negotiating
with the European Commission and national competition and
regulatory authorities. These established relationships can be
invaluable when representing clients which are subject to an
investigation.
For further information, please contact Dirk Van
Liedekerke or Koen Platteau.
Intellectual
Property
Our exceptional understanding of the technology, communications,
life sciences, fashion and media sectors ensures we offer
insightful and commercially focused advice on all aspects of
IP.
Litigation - Over the past year, we obtained a number of
high-profile victories for our clients before the Belgian courts as
well as before the Court of Justice of the European Union, in such
sectors as fashion, retail, media and biotechnology. We currently
represent clients in IP disputes concerning film, music, fashion,
pharmaceuticals, toys, replica weapons and agricultural
machinery.
IP transactions and strategies - On the transactional front, we
advise clients on copyright issues relating to film and
television productions, publishing and e-commerce
initiatives. We devise tailor-made IP strategies for clients
in the fashion, toys and life sciences sectors.
Portfolio management - Our work advising clients with
substantial IP portfolios that are central to the success of their
respective businesses is a testament to our expertise and
integrated approach. Through our European offices or in
collaboration with trusted colleagues from our longstanding
worldwide network, we manage international portfolios,
co-ordinating multiple oppositions, revocation actions and
litigation in different jurisdictions. We enable our clients to
grow their market position and increase their revenue.
Thought leadership - True to Olswang's dedication to thought
leadership, we organise regular events to keep our clients up to
date of recent developments in those sectors and service areas we
know best. Over the past year, Olswang Brussels hosted and/or spoke
at a number of professional events and seminars on such diverse
topics as the IP aspects of fashion, convergence in the media and
technology sectors, the recent developments in supplementary
protection certificates law, the patent aspects of technological
standardisation and copyright issues in the pharmaceutical
industry.
For further information, please contact Christine
De Keersmaeker or Patricia Cappuyns.
Media, Communication and
Technology
Film and television-we have extensive experience in film and
television production, including all aspects of creation and
financing through the tax shelter system. Together with our
leading Film & TV teams inLondonandBerlin, we advise leading
players in this industry including Belgian, US andUKfinanciers and
independent production companies. Our experience in digital media
and convergence adds an extra dimension to the advice we can
offer.
Music-we advise music production companies on all commercial
aspects of music production and distribution including related
copyright and neighbouring rights issues. And in this ever evolving
technological environment, we also advise businesses that use music
online.
Broadcasting-we advise on traditional and new forms of
programming, taking into consideration the latest technologies that
are redefining the way media companies connect with their customers
such as interactive TV, mobile technology and video on demand.
Publishing-our expertise covers the digital market as well as
traditional print. We have experience in assisting publishers in
their convergence into other media through acquisitions, joint
ventures and co-operation agreements.
Internet and e-commerce- In addition, we advise on e-commerce,
privacy, data protection, advertising, marketing and IT issues. Our
clients include leaders in the media, internet and e-commerce
sectors, and leading developers and distributors of technology,
including online gaming.
View our testimonials here.
For further information, please contact Christine De Keersmaeker or Dirk Van
Liedekerke.
Regulatory - Electronic
Communications
Olswang Brussels offers a wealth of experience in the field of
national and EU regulation with specific emphasis on the electronic
communications sector. We assist and co-operate with our clients to
help them achieve their business goals in regulated industries such
as telecommunications (fixed, mobile, satellite, cable TV and the
Internet), media, gambling and energy.
In dealing with regulated industries, we can rely on our long
standing experience in EU, competition and litigation matters as
well as on our expertise in all different and complex forms of
mandatory and voluntary co-operation between sector players.
Industry knowledge is key to the value of our services and
therefore we invest in monitoring very closely any new trends and
phenomena. The Olswang network of offices, located in different key
jurisdictions and each with regulatory capabilities, assists us in
anticipating new developments and benchmarking possible solutions
that can help change the face of our client's business.
We assist our clients in understanding the limits and the
opportunities that sector regulation entails for them. We help them
in their dealings with the competent authorities be it through
participating in public consultations, in securing the required
regulatory approvals and/or in applying for the relevant permits
and/or licences. As regulation does not necessarily evolve at the
pace of industry developments, we understand that we need to think
ahead, develop innovative and creative solutions and defend them
forcefully and convincingly.
We are committed to remaining experts in the regulated fields in
which we act.
For further information, please contact Dirk Van
Liedekerke or Koen Platteau.
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