Exclusive interview with Axel Desmedt, the new chairman of the Belgian Competition Authority

The latest edition of the leading Belgian journal Competitio has just been published. It features an exclusive interview with Axel Desmedt, the newly appointed chairman of the Belgian Competition Authority, by three editorial board members of Competitio, including our competition partner Sebastien Engelen.

During their insightful conversation, they discussed key competition topics.

Three of the main takeaways from the interview include:

• 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬: The chairman emphasises the positive dynamics and strengthening of the BCA team, which have not gone unnoticed.
• 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Axel Desmedt announces that the BCA intends to proactively identify market issues by conducting sectoral investigation. A couple a weeks after the interview, the BCA opened a general investigation into sectoral price revision and indexation mechanisms.
• 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: Drawing from his experience as the former chairman of the Belgian telecom and postal regulator, Axel Desmedt offered insightful perspectives on the potential benefits and challenges of collaborating with sector-specific regulators. He also discussed the implications of consolidating multiple regulators into a single, overarching entity.

Thank you to Axel Desmedt, and Competitio’s colleagues Melissa Van Schoorisse and Grégoire Ryelandt for this interesting discussion!

Read the full article on our website: https://lnkd.in/e33WP3nQ

#belgiancompetitionauthority #competitionlaw #antitrust #lawfirm #thecontrastisclear #contrastlaw #contrastpublications

Winter internship applications for 2026 are open!

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰’𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫? ❄

We are happy to announce that the winter internship applications for 2026 at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 are officially open!

Are you studying abroad next term, and are you looking to gain valuable legal experience in January 2026? Join us for an inspiring internship programme.

At 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 you gain hands-on experience through interesting cases and continuous coaching from a great team in one of our practice areas: competition and EU, corporate and M&A, commercial law, or dispute resolution!

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝? Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity and apply quickly via our website 👉 https://lnkd.in/eG6maJ2W

We are eager to meet you!

#lawstudent #lawstudents #internship #legalinternship #studentcorner #contrastlaw

contrast connects - legal toolbox for B2B relations

Last week, we hosted a workshop on the legal toolbox for B2B relations.

Our partners Herlinde Burez and Milena Varga, and counsel Benjamin Magnus discussed key competition, commercial and litigation aspects, and guided an interactive exchange of practical experiences. Thank you to all participants for their valuable contribution!

Do you have any questions on this topic, or are you interested in connecting with other inhouse counsel and professionals at a 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 connects event? Please feel free to reach out to your regular contact person at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 , or send us a message at contrastconnects@contrast.law.

#meetcontrast #contrastconnects

Landmark ECJ decision on exclusive distribution rights

𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐂-𝟓𝟖𝟏/𝟐𝟑).

Our competition partner Herlinde Burez and commercial partner Milena Varga represented Albert Heijn before the Court against Beevers Kaas, exclusive importer of Beemster cheese in Belgium. In this case, Albert Heijn claimed that Beevers Kaas can only be protected against active sales of Albert Heijn if and when the parallel imposition requirement is fulfilled. Put differently: as long as the supplier of the Beemster cheese has not agreed an active sales restriction with each and every of its resellers in the EU, Albert Heijn cannot be prevented from actively selling Beemster cheese in Belgium.

The Court ruled that an agreement on an active sales restriction cannot be inferred from the simple finding that no other reseller is currently actively selling Beemster cheese in Belgium. The supplier must first demonstrate that it has invited the resellers to comply with an active sales restriction, and secondly, that the resellers have agreed to this invitation. Proof of both elements must be provided by the supplier based on objective and consistent evidence.

The Court thus agreed with Albert Heijn’s position.

For a more detailed read on this interesting judgment as well as the opinion of the Advocate-General, click here.

𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? Milena Varga and Herlinde Burez are happy to help!

#ECJ #DistributionLaw #VerticalAgreements #EuropeanCourtOfJustice #CompetitionLaw #CommercialLaw #ExclusiveDistribution #ActiveSales #LegalUpdate #contrastupdate

Session on intellectual property

Last week, our 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 training team hosted an interesting lunch session on the topic of intellectual property law with Ellen Crabbe and Nils Dillemans from the IP agency brantsandpatents as expert guest speakers. 💼

This session allowed us to reflect on various IP rights and their unique characteristics, as well as the relevant procedures for obtaining patents and trademarks. This knowledge is invaluable in helping us better serve our clients and protect their intellectual property rights and innovations.

A heartfelt thank you to Ellen and Nils for sharing their knowledge with us, and to our 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 training team for organising these monthly trainings. 👏

#intellectualproperty #IPlaw #careergrowth #knowledgeexchange #contrasttraining

Live webinar - BDDB book

On the occasion of the publication of the second edition of our book on competition law, our publisher LeA Uitgevers is organising a live webinar. During the seminar, our competition partners Herlinde Burez and Filip Tuytschaever will discuss recent developments in competition law practice and enforcement alongside the other authors.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧? Tuesday, 13 May 2025 - 12:00-14:00
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝: Bos Door De Bomen: Mededingingsrecht – Second Edition

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.

#competitionlaw #legalpublications #contrastpublications

Priorities for the Belgian Competition Authority

The BCA published its priorities paper 2025, and the least one can say is that it reflects an authority with plenty of ambition after being bolstered by additional resources.

Those wanting to submit a complaint to the BCA will want to know that the BCA will especially pay attention if the complaint concerns the agri-food value chain, construction, healthcare, basic services (including regulated professions, finance, banking, insurance, and energy and transport), or the digitalisation of the economy (including local platforms) and telecom. Incidentally, in many of these sectors, the BCA already has one or more pending cases which may come to a close this year.

2025 will also be the year of the first ever sector inquiry of the BCA (into price revision and indexation mechanisms), that of the preparation of a series of policy papers (on sustainability, on the BCA’s digital policy, and on competition rules in the context of employee mobility, including the use of no-poach agreements), as well as an update of existing guidance on bid rigging.

Interestingly, as many other competition authorities in the EU, also the BCA will investigate whether it should seek legislative changes for it to have a "call in" competence for mergers that fail to reach the EU and Belgian notification thresholds, and for a "New Competition Tool", so as to be able to impose binding remedies to remedy market distortions identified after a general or sectoral investigation.

Plenty of ambition, indeed, and we’ll keep you posted of developments as they occur.

In the meantime, you can read the priorities paper of the BCA in English, Dutch and French here.

#belgiancompetitionauthority #competitionlaw #antitrust #lawfirm #contrastupdate

Another year, another reward

Congratulations to the winner, Mathias Vanduffel of Rootsum.🎉

Last week, our counsel Eva Alboort and project manager Hendrik Verbruggen saw him win the JCI Award Vlaams-Brabantse Jonge Ondernemer 2025.

We also congratulate Jan Kunnen of Eduvik on his audience award, as well as the other strong candidates Julie Hermans of Cumbaya and Stefan Walraven of Inmanta!

As an independent law firm, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 actively supports entrepreneurship and ambition to create positive changes. We are therefore a very proud and longstanding sponsor of JCI.

We look forward to next year’s event!

#JCI #VBJO25 #entrepreneurship #proudsponsor #contrastlaw #contrastcares

Guest lecture on 'abuse of dominant position and merger control' at VUB

Last Friday, our counsel Mathieu Vancaillie and senior associate Michèle de Clerck gave a guest lecture at the Law Faculty of the University of Brussels, where our partner Filip Tuytschaever teaches EU competition law. Mathieu discussed 'abuse of dominant position' and Michèle 'merger control'.

Thanks to the students for their active participation!

Also interested in competition law? Read our new book 'Bos door de Bomen: Mededingingrecht'. You can order your copy here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gEd4ymJS

#EUlaw #guestlecture #vub #lawstudents #EU #contraststudentcorner #contrasttalent

Recent advice bij the 'BRC Onrechtmatige Bedingen' on Belgian B2B Law

Last week, the Special Advisory Committee on unfair terms (‘BRC Onrechtmatige Bedingen’), a Belgian advisory body, published its advice on the rules relating to unfair terms in the Belgian B2B law. This advice was requested by the Minister of Economy and forms part of the legislator's planned evaluation of the B2B law of 4 April 2019.

The advice provides valuable insights (including relevant considerations, analyses of clauses and recommendations) on several key topics:

• the requirement for clauses to be drafted in a clear and comprehensible manner;
• the prohibition of clauses that create a manifest imbalance between the rights and obligations of the parties;
• clauses that are unlawful (black list) and those presumed to be unlawful (grey list).

Although the BRC’s advice is non-binding, it will be used by the legislator in evaluating the B2B law.

For a detailed read, check out the full advice here.


𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? Our commercial team is happy to help!


#commerciallaw #onrechtmatigebedingen #unfairterms #B2B #contrastupdate