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Competition Summer School at ELSA Antwerpen
Last week, our competition counsel Mathieu Vancaillie and competition senior associate Michèle de Clerck delivered an interesting competition law compliance training to a group of international law students at the ELSA Antwerpen Summer School.
It was an interactive session thanks to the enthusiasm of the students that were present.
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬:
• Identifying anti-competitive practices (including rules on horizontal and vertical agreements)
• Highlighting who should comply
• Providing tips on how to comply
Are you also interested in a compliance training by 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭? Check our compliance tools on our website.
#competitionlaw #compliance #ELSAAntwerpen #lawstudent #meetcontrast #studentcorner
contrast is hiring two mid-level to senior commercial lawyers
Are you a talented commercial lawyer looking for the next big step in your career? Join our expanding commercial team at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 and take advantage of this unique opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic and supportive environment.
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬?
• 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Engage with high-profile clients and work on challenging cases, both international and domestic.
• 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: Develop your skills with extensive training opportunities and a clear path for advancement.
• 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦: Work closely with our corporate, competition and dispute resolution teams.
• 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Publish legal articles, co-write one of our handbooks, and speak at industry events.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫:
• Master of Laws with excellent academic results.
• 2 to 5 years of experience (mid-level) or 5 to 7 years of expertise (senior) in commercial practice.
• Fluency in Dutch and English; French is a plus.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and alignment with our core values.
Ready to make a significant impact?
• Apply via our website; or
• Contact our counsel Eva Alboort directly via LinkedIn or eva.alboort@contrast.law.
#hiring #legaltalent #commerciallaw #commerciallawyer #joinus #contrastcareers
contrast updateA warm welcome to our July interns!
We are pleased to welcome Eva, Camille, Gilles and Alixe as our summer interns for July.
Over the next month they will join our competition & EU, corporate & M&A and commercial team.
We are excited to have them on board, and wish them an insightful internship with us!
Are you also ready for a summer (or winter) filled with learning opportunities and vibrant experiences? Explore our student internships and other career opportunities for 2026 here.
Check out their photo here.
#internship #legalinternship #lawstudent #careergrowth #summerintern #learningopportunities #studentcorner
Celebrating the start of summer with law students at contrast
Last week, many law students visited our office and enjoyed the ‘summer vibes @ 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭’.
They relished refreshing drinks, a delicious walking dinner and engaging conversations with our team and other fellow students.
A big thank you to the enthusiastic and fun group of students who attended the event. It was fantastic getting to know you all!
Did you miss it? No worries! You can still learn more about 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 and our internships via our website.
#lawstudents #rechtenstudenten #networking #legalcareer #futurelawyers #summervibes #meetcontrast #studentcorner
ECJ clarifies that an asset swap does not qualify as a 'single concentration' for merger control purposes
Last Thursday, the European Court of Justice clarified the concept of a ‘single concentration’ for merger control purposes (Joined Cases C 464/23 P, C 465/23 P, C 467/23 P, C 468/23 P and C 470/23 P).
The case concerned a complex asset swap between the German energy companies RWE and E.ON by means of three concentration operations. The first and second concentration operation were approved by the European Commission while the third one was approved by the German Federal Competition Authority. Eleven German municipal authorities challenged the two Commission approval decisions before the General Court and subsequently before the Court of Justice claiming that the three concentration operations constitute a single concentration and ought to have been examined by the European Commission in the context of one single merger control procedure at EU level.
In its judgment the Court clarified that two or more transactions may constitute a single concentration for merger control purposes only if, “in addition to their necessary interdependence, they lead to conferring sole control on an undertaking, or joint control on two or more undertakings, over one or more other undertakings.” In light hereof, the Court stated that the concept of a ‘single concentration’ cannot apply if independent undertakings gain control of different targets, which is for example the case in an asset swap. The Court thereby confirmed the interpretation given by the General Court to this concept.
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨? Read the full text of the judgment here.
𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Herlinde Burez, competition partner, or Laura Sente, senior associate.
#ECJ #EuropeanCourtofJustice #CompetitionLaw #mergercontrol #contrastupdate
contrast receives VCDO certificate
𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲!🌍
Last week, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 was honoured to be one of 45 companies to receive the 2025 ‘Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship’ certificate. Our colleagues Bart Bellen, Marthe Wouters, and Hendrik Verbruggen proudly accepted this recognition for our team.
Over the past year, we have implemented a robust action plan grounded in the five pillars of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships. 🌍
We are very proud that our efforts have been recognised by an independent evaluation committee. Our progress would not have been possible without the support of our Voka - Kamer van Koophandel Vlaams-Brabant advisor Adriana Wilmots, and the hard work of our dedicated ESG team Eva Alboort, Karlien De Ryck and Marthe Wouters. A big thank you to them!
We would also like to extend our congratulations to the other companies that received a certificate for their achievements. We are proud to be part of this community and look forward to continuing our sustainability journey together.
Stay tuned to learn more about the initiatives that earned us this certificate and our new action plan for the upcoming year. 🌿
#sustainability #VCDO #ESG #SDG #CSRD #VCSE #contrastcares
Last call. Rechtenstudenten, let op!
Staat donderdag 26 juni al in je agenda?
We organiseren die dag een gezellig, zomers tuinevent voor rechtenstudenten op ons kantoor. Alle 3de bachelor, alsook 1ste en 2de master rechtenstudenten (inclusief LL.M. en ManaMa studenten) zijn welkom om na de examens te komen genieten van onze mooie tuin met een lekker hapje en drankje!
Tijdens het event zal je op een leuke manier kennis kunnen maken met ons team, en eventueel al een stage (zomer-, winter- of baliestage) voor 2026 kunnen verzilveren.
𝐖𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐮𝐧 𝐣𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧?
• Een ontspannen sfeer met zomerse vibes
• Kennismaking met onze partners en HR-team
• Informele gesprekken met onze medewerkers uit al onze vakgroepen (competition & EU | corporate & M&A | commercial | conflict management)
• Rondleidingen door ons kantoor
• Waardevolle tips voor je studie en carrière
• Mogelijkheden om te connecteren met andere studenten
Wil je dit unieke event niet missen? Schrijf je dan zeker hier in en bekijk zeker ons leuk filmpje over het event.
Tot dan! 👋
#lawstudents #rechtenstudenten #LLM #legalcareer #networking #studentcorner #meetcontrast
In the Picture - Say 'cheese' to cross-border sales
𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 ... 💭
You are a Dutch cheese producer and work with an exclusive importer in Belgium.
When one of your Dutch customers opens supermarkets in Belgium and sells the cheese purchased from you in those supermarkets, the importer is unpleasantly surprised and wants you to protect him against the sales of your Dutch customer. You are sympathetic to this argument, but when you send an e-mail to your Dutch customer about this, he is anything but happy. He believes that you violate competition law.
You are shocked by this reaction. Earlier, you had heard from your in-house counsel that you can protect an exclusive importer against active sales and selling in supermarkets in Belgium are active sales, so what are you not getting?
𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞? Read our latest #inthepicture ‘Say ‘cheese’ to cross-border sales’ here: https://lnkd.in/g3ae-MyH, or contact our competition partner Herlinde Burez and commercial partner Milena Varga.
#competitionlaw #verticalagreements #contrastpublications
Lunch session with Gondola on the retail sector
Last Wednesday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Pierre-Alexandre Billiet, CEO of Gondola — a leading platform for professionals in the consumer goods and retail sector — and Silvie Vanhout, Managing Partner of Gondola Academy, for an exclusive training session regarding the Belgian retail market.
Since retail is a key focus area at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭, we aim to not only stay sharp legally, but also to remain connected to the broader economic and strategic context in which our clients operate.
🛒 During this session, Pierre-Alexandre and Silvie shared valuable insights into the historical and future evolution of the retail landscape, including:
🔹 Trends in market shares, revenue, store counts and franchising in the Belgian food retail market
🔹 The impact of evolving laws and regulations including ESG/sustainability, B2B regulation, e-commerce, greenwashing, and consumer law
🔹 How these evolutions affect competitiveness within the retail sector
💡 This session was a powerful reminder of how legal expertise and sector-specific knowledge go hand-in-hand in delivering real value to our clients.
Thank you, Pierre-Alexandre and Silvie, for this interesting session, and to our 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 training team for hosting these valuable workshops.
#ecommerce #commerciallaw #retail #foodretail #contrasttraining
