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Let's celebrate Administrative Professionals Day!
We are truly fortunate to have a wonderful administrative support team at ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ. Letโs be honest, itโs not obvious working for a bunch of lawyers ๐. And yet, we can always rely on their support when aiming to make a difference for our clients and the members of our legal team. And for that, we owe them a genuine โthank youโ ! ๐
#contrastvibes #teamwork #officeteam #lawfirm
M&A Chronicle - What's next?
๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐&๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ โ ๐๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฑ๐ญ?
Over the past 7 weeks, our corporate and M&A team has shared some highlights from significant judgements from the ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐&๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ข๐๐ฅ๐, published in TRV-RPS : Revue pratique des sociรฉtรฉs - Tijdschrift voor Rechtspersoon en Vennootschap. Thank you for following along and engaging!
If you missed any of the highlights, you can catch up on our LinkedIn page. You can find the two editions of the M&A Chronicle, providing a comprehensive overview of ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ ๐&๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฐ from ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ, and our related annotations, on our website: https://lnkd.in/ez4HCPiN
But we are not stopping here!
๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
As we gear up for the next big project โ restarting the market research for the ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐&๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ this summer โ we invite you to be part of this collaborative project!
Are you an M&A professional active in Belgium and interested in participating (again)? Leave your contact details on this form so we can connect: https://lnkd.in/efm_czcH
Any ideas or suggestions? Share any must-cover recent trends/topics for this edition in the comments below or send us an email at survey@contrast.law.
Keep an eye on our page for any updates in this regard and stay tuned for the launch of the research phase this summer!
#MergersandAcquisitions #MA #Kroniek #Chronicle #Survey #mandasurvey #sharepurchaseagreements #CaseLaw
M&A Chronicle - Weekly case highlight #7
โThe court considers the combination of the limitation in duration and territory to be unlawful [โฆ] Consequently, the court reduces article 1 of the non-competition agreement to three years after the signing of the non-competition agreement, within the Benelux, France, and England.โ
The judgement of the ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ญ of 5 February 2018 offers an interesting and comprehensive application of the principles established through the (landmark) rulings of the Court of Cassation of the past decade. The non-competition obligation in question had a duration of 5 years and a territorial scope covering the entire European Union. Considering the concrete activities of the target company and their geographical scope, the court found the non-competition obligation to be excessive and decided to limit the duration and the geographical scope thereof, in line with the jurisprudence of the Court of Cassation.
๐ Want to learn more about this judgement and other key Belgian M&A cases from ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ? You can find them all here, together with our related annotations.
๐By the way, did you know that ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐&๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ (https://lnkd.in/efJUPcN7) shows that more than 80% of the examined acquisition agreements contained a non-competition covenant, and that the duration of the non-competition clause is typically three years? We will be organizing a ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐&๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ this year. Leave your contact details on this form to participate and help us find out whether this trend has continued.
Follow along with our corporate and M&A team as we highlight more interesting case law in the coming weeks!
๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ? Please contact the authors (Bart Bellen | Ine Schockaert | Kristof De Wael | Karlien De Ryck | Maarten Cnudde | Charlotte Van Weehaeghe | Ward De Byser | Marthe Wouters).
#MergersandAcquisitions #Kroniek #Chronicle #Survey #mandasurvey #sharepurchaseagreements #CaseLaw #noncompete
contrast on campus @ Arteveldehogeschool
Last week, our counsel Eva Alboort and paralegal Marthe Wouters immersed law practice students from Arteveldehogeschool into the world of litigation from both a lawyerโs and a paralegalโs perspective, emphasising the role and importance of paralegals in a modern law firm.
On top of that, they also organised an interactive and practical workshop with tips and tricks for students to get a head start in their future internships and entry into the work field!
A big thank you to everyone attending and especially to Barbara Vande Putte for inviting us again. It is always a pleasure to head down to this beautiful campus in Ghent. We are looking forward to future collaborations!
#contrastoncampus #studentcorner #guestlecture #workshop #paralegal #litigation #arteveldehogeschool
Are you our next summer intern in our competition team?
We do not only offer a safe haven for many insects in our new eco-friendly insect hotel, but also like to host talented interns at ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ during the summer months.
Are you also buzzing to join us in the summer? ๐ One spot for an internship in our Competition & EU team for the month of August just became available again.
Don't miss this unique opportunity! Send in your application here.
#contrasttalent #lawinternship #competitionlaw #insecthotel #ESG #sustainability
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Another important day for the Omnibus proposal
Today, the European Parliament voted on and adopted the โstop-the-clockโ-proposal of the European Commission to postpone the application of the CSRD by two years for โwave 2 and 3 companiesโ within its remit and to delay the transposition and application of the CSDDD by one year. The postponement will allow European co-legislators to further discuss the substantive changes to the CSRD and CSDDD included in the Omnibus proposal.
As the European Council already announced its support of the stop-the-clock-proposal last week, its formal approval is expected soon. The Directive will thereafter enter into force the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Member States will have until 31 December 2025 to transpose the provisions into national legislation.
Stay tuned to be updated on further Omnibus developments. In the meantime, feel free to reach out if you would like a deeper dive!
#ESG #Sustainability #CSRD #CSDDD #Omnibus #CorporateResponsibility #contrastupdate #VCDO
New edition of Vertical Agreements in EU Competition Law
Weโve just unboxed the 4th edition of our book on vertical agreements, and weโre kind of proud. Pictured are Herlinde Burez (co-author of the chapter on motor vehicle distribution), Evi Noรซl (project coordinator with an unparalleled attention to detail) and Filip Tuytschaever (on the book cover).
Thanks to our co-author Frank Wijckmans, to Oxford University Press for making it happen, and to our readers for encouraging us!
๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐? You can order your copy here.
#verticalagreements #competitionlaw #EUlaw #contrastpublications
M&A Chronicle - Weekly case highlight #6
โWhile, in assessing the interests involved, the court must consider the circumstances governing the exercise of a right arising from the contract, it may not take into account the circumstances preceding the creation of that right.โ
In its judgement of 20 December 2019, the ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ruled that circumstances preceding the creation of a right may not be considered when assessing abuse of rights. As such, even if the buyer knew, prior to entering into the purchase agreement, that certain representations did not correspond to reality, this cannot be taken into account when assessing whether the buyerโs claim for breaches of representations and warranties constitutes an abuse of rights.
๐ Want to learn more about this judgement and other key Belgian M&A cases from ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ? You can find them all here, together with our related annotations.
Want to know more about pro-sandbagging and anti-sandbagging clauses? You can read all about it in our book on Share Purchase Agreements.
๐By the way, did you know that ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐&๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ (https://lnkd.in/efJUPcN7) shows that nearly all of the examined acquisition agreements contained a contractual procedure governing the notification of claims by the buyer for breaches of the sellerโs representations and warranties? We will be organizing a ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐&๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ this year. Leave your contact details on thisย form to participate and help us find out whether this trend has continued.
Follow along with our corporate and M&A team as we highlight more interesting case law in the coming weeks!
๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ? Please contact the authors (Bart Bellen | Ine Schockaert | Kristof De Wael | Karlien De Ryck | Maarten Cnudde | Charlotte Van Weehaeghe | Ward De Byser | Marthe Wouters).
#MergersandAcquisitions #Kroniek #Chronicle #Survey #mandasurvey #sharepurchaseagreements #CaseLaw #representations #warranties
The Legal 500 again ranks all our practice areas and gives us the Client Satisfaction Award
Special congratulations to our Competition & EU team for its ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ in 'Competition Belgium'. ๐
We are also proud to receive, as one of the few law firms in Belgium, theย Legal 500 ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐.
We love what we do, and we are happy that it shows!
A heartfelt thank you to our clients and peers for their trust and warm recommendations.
Do check our websitefor more on our ranking.
#contrasttalent #legal500 #thelegal500 #lawfirm #clientsatisfaction
General Court largely rejects banks' appeal against Commission's cartel decision
On 26 March 2025, the General Court confirmed the Commissionโs finding of a cartel by several banks relating to the trade in bonds issued by eurozone countries. The cartel occurred at the time of the financial crisis and subsequent euro-zone debt crisis (between 2007 and 2011) and affected both the issuance of such bonds by countries (primary market) and the subsequent trade of these bonds on the financial markets (secondary market).
The cartel involved various traders which used chat rooms to regularly exchange information, fix prices and allocate customers. After a detailed analysis of the various chatroom-entries relied on by the Commission, the General Court sided with the Commissionโs conclusion that the banks were guilty of a cartel consisting of price fixing on both the primary and the secondary market, bid rigging on the primary market, and exchanges of commercially sensitive information regarding the secondary market.
Unsurprisingly, the General Court confirmed explicitly in this respect that the banks were responsible for the conduct of their employees. According to the General Court, an undertaking โcannot reasonably rely on any malfunctioning of its internal organisationโ and cannot escape liability even if the cartel-conduct concerned โthe act of a single employee who pursued a personal course of conduct initiated before he was recruited and that that course of conduct was only marginally successful.โ
This case reconfirms the importance of having a proper compliance culture in place as each employee can trigger a companyโs liability. Please refer to our recent In The Picture on the topic in this respect: https://lnkd.in/enD2m9mm
Any questions? Please do not hesitate to get in contact.
#ECJ #GeneralCourt #eurozone #debtcrisis #cartel #compliance #competitioncompliance
