Welcome Lieze & Maxime!

Winter wonderland has arrived, and with it, our new winter interns. Lieze and Maxime will be working with us throughout January. We are delighted to welcome them and wish them the best as they embark on this new adventure! ❄️

Also interested in an exciting internship at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭? We are still searching for interns to join our commercial law team in the summer of 2025. Send in your application via the following link: https://lnkd.in/eG8gwWyV

#internship #legalinternship #lawstudent #careergrowth #winterinternship #learningopportunities #contraststudentcorner

Understanding the impact of the Super Bock case on vertical price fixing: new article in TBH-RDC

In their contribution in the Revue de Droit Commercial Belge - Tijdschrift voor Belgisch Handelsrecht - RDC - TBH our counsel Stefanie Colaers and associate Lise Ryckaert discuss the implications of the European Court of Justice’s preliminary ruling in the Super Bock case. The ECJ’s preliminary ruling represents an important shift in the enforcement of vertical price fixing by competition authorities, but is such shift tangible yet in practice? Stefanie and Lise’s contribution examines how the ECJ’s judgment puts the strict treatment of vertical price fixing into question, and how this affects recent enforcement practice by competition authorities.

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?
You can access the full article here (in Dutch): https://lnkd.in/e6XTck7F

You can read the ECJ judgment on Super Bock here: https://lnkd.in/enf-hAgW

#rpm #resalepricemaintenance #verticalpricefixing #SuperBock #ECJ

Seminarie Knipperlichten 2025

Save the date 🎯 Het jaarlijkse 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 ‘Knipperlichten’ seminarie keert terug op 20 februari 2025 (9u30-15u)!

𝐖𝐚𝐭? Een samenvatting van de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen en wijzigingen op het vlak van het vennootschapsrecht, handelsrecht en mededingingsrecht van het afgelopen jaar.  Dit jaar zal Prof. dr. Bernard Tilleman ook het voorstel van Boek 7 BW over het bijzonder contractenrecht (koop, huur, lastgeving, enz.) toelichten. Tijdens het seminarie worden verder ook de diverse initiatieven van de Europese wetgever op het vlak van duurzaamheid en hun impact op ondernemingen besproken.

𝐖𝐚𝐚𝐫? Brabantse Golf te Steenokkerzeel.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞? Registreer via onze website 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTd6fU9j

Bernard Tilleman | Herlinde Burez | Ine Schockaert | Laurence Vanhyfte | Kristof De Wael | Michèle de Clerck | Berto Pals

#contrastseminars #seminars #corporatelaw #commerciallaw #competitionlaw #contractlaw #sustainability

Pawsitive vibes at contrast

We had the privilege of welcoming some furry friends to the 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 office.

Their presence created a warm and joyful atmosphere, making the holiday season even brighter.

We are looking forward to their next visit!

Check out the cute pictures here.

#contrastvibes #officeanimals #furryfriends #pets

In the Picture overview of 2024

With the new year coming up we want to give a recap of our In The Picture newsletters of 2024.

Check out the fun cartoons with our hands-on legal tips here!
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eX4ZXSqb

Subscribe now to never miss a future edition of In the Picture!
👉 https://lnkd.in/emqHSWNN

Take a look at our visual here.

#legal #law #competitionlaw #corporatelaw #commerciallaw #compliance #disputeresolution #inthepicture

Happy holidays!

Warmest wishes from our team. Enjoy the holidays! ❄️🌲

Check out our e-Christmas card on LinkedIn.

Competition update - case highlight

𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬

Since March of this year, the BCA has been entrusted with certain competences to contribute to the effective enforcement of the DMA (see our previous post https://lnkd.in/e4evjc4i).

The BCA has now published a short guide on the DMA for so-called “tech challengers”. These tech challengers are the competitors or customers of the gatekeepers under the DMA (i.e. the largest digital platforms in the EU).

In its guide, the BCA provides an overview of the functioning of the DMA and its main provisions. Most interestingly, it highlights its view on the role of national competition authorities in DMA enforcement and provides some practical resources to guide tech challengers when they are faced with a potential DMA violation such as:

- The different concrete paths of action of action when a tech challenger suspects a violation one or more DMA obligations (court actions, (anonymous) complaints, etc.);

- A specially created email address through which to contact the BCA regarding DMA-related matters (DMA@bma-abc.be) ; and

- Links to various European Commission websites containing more in-depth information about the DMA.

The full guide is available in English, French and Dutch here: https://lnkd.in/eWSkQD67.

You can read more about the DMA in detail in our #inthepicture from March 2023: https://lnkd.in/eBAUt7v5

Questions? Contact your usual contact at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭.

#digitalmarketsact #competitionlaw #europeancommission #belgiancompetitionauthority #dma #contrastupdate

Festive Christmas lunch at contrast

𝐓𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧!🎄

A festive lunch in Christmas sweaters, unwrapping secret Santa’s presents & a Christmas market in support of good causes such as the Warmste Week and the animal shelter in Mechelen.

That’s how we celebrate the holiday season at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭! ✨

Check out the photos here.

#warmsteweek #volunteer #contrastcares #christmasparty #contrastvibes #qualitytime #lawfirm

contrast update - Belgian CSRD law

🌍 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 – 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐒𝐑𝐃 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝!

Just in time for the start of the first reporting requirements, the Belgian ‘CSRD law’ was published in today’s Belgian Official Gazette. This marks the last official step in Belgium’s transposition of the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?
You can find the law here🔗 https://lnkd.in/eafq7UAF

Read the text of CSRD🔗https://lnkd.in/eY_DEehd

𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?
Contact our corporate team. We are ready to assist you with these new reporting requirements.

#ESG #Sustainability #CSRD #CorporateResponsibility #contrastupdate

In The Picture - Unwrapping the AI act: a new surprise for M&A transactions

𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 ... 💭 In recent years, your company has invested heavily in innovation through the use of AI systems within the work environment. The company is performing better than ever, and several candidates are interested to take over the company.

During a meeting about the launch of the acquisition process, your legal advisor explains that a new regulation imposes strict requirements on the development and use of AI. This regulation would also affect the acquisition process.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞? Read our latest #inthepicture ‘Unwrapping the AI Act: a new surprise for M&A transactions’, or contact our corporate counsel Kristof De Wael and associate Maarten Cnudde.
👉 https://lnkd.in/euK-uC5A

#ArtificialIntelligence #MergersandAcquisitions #EU #EuropeanCommission #AIAct