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Trends and Developments in Global Competition Law - Annual Conference 2014

16 May 2014

Time: 8:45am - 5:30pm
Venue: Hotel Le Méridien, Brussels, Carrefour de l’ Europe 3, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

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The Interdisciplinary Centre for Competition Law and Policy (ICC), Queen Mary University of London and Crowell & Moring LLP Annual Conference 2014

Overview

This conference offers a unique forum for exchanging ideas and discussing recent developments in competition law across the globe. It brings together leading figures in the field from around the world including judges, competition officials, academics, in-house counsel and private practitioners. The conference combines the policy perspective of the London-based Interdisciplinary Centre for Competition Law and Policy (ICC) with the real world experience of the international law firm Crowell & Moring LLP.

Format and Content

This will be a one-day event, with four major areas of focus: international merger control; international cartel enforcement; standards-essential patents and competition law; and abuse of dominance. Our aim on this occasion is to bring to our audience a comprehensive update of recent developments related to these topics which will be presented in an analytical and thought-provoking way by a high-level panel of speakers from around the globe. All of the topics will be illustrated by practical examples drawn from recent cases taken from the EU, US, Austria, Germany, France, UK and other competition law regimes.

The issues to be addressed are:

International merger control

  • Unilateral effects below dominance – how is this dealt with under the SIEC-Test?
  • The failing firm defence – experiences from the US, EU, UK and Germany
  • The approach towards airline mergers – is a special treatment required?

International cartel enforcement

  • Settlements: practice, future, and consequences for damage cases
  • Recent UK developments – could they serve as a model for the rest of the EU?
  • The envisaged EU law on damages actions – what impact will it have, if any?

Standards-essential patents and competition law: Have the lines cleared-up?

  • Are we any closer to an injunction standard for SEPs, and how does it differ across jurisdictions (US courts, US ITC, Germany, EU)?
  • How have recent events shaped the definition of FRAND? Are we closing in on a firmer definition? Do we want one?
  • What is “essential” and does it differ across jurisdictions (ie, can a patent become “de facto essential” in certain jurisdictions)?

Abuse of dominance

  • The approach to rebates
  • Excessive pricing – is the EU Commission setting its priorities right?
  • Pursuing abuse cases in regulated industries

Programme

View the event programme. [PDF 154KB]

  • 8:45-9:15 - Registration and coffee
  • 9:15-9:30 - Introduction and welcome by conference chairmen - Maher Dabbah (ICC) and Werner Berg (Crowell & Moring)
  • 9:30 - International merger control
    Chair: Randy Smith, Partner, Crowell & Moring
    Speakers: 
  • 11:00-11:15 - Coffee break
  • 11:15 - International cartel enforcement
    Chair: Eugene Buttigieg, Judge, European Union General Court
    Speakers: 
  • 12:45-14:00 - Business lunch
  • 14:00 - Standards-essential patents and competition law: Have the lines cleared-up?
    Chair: Marcus Smith QC, Chairman, UK Competition Appeal Tribunal
    Speakers: 
    • Renata Hesse, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal and Civil Operations, US Department of Justice Antitrust Division
    • Jörn Eickhoff, Senior Counsel, Competition, Siemens
    • John Gibson, Partner, Crowell and Moring
  • 15:30-15:45 - Coffee break
  • 15:45 - Abuse of dominance
    Chair: Maher Dabbah, Professor, Queen Mary University of London
    Speakers: 
  • 17:15-17:30 - Conclusions and reflections
  • 17:30 - Reception

Accommodation

A limited number of rooms at a preferential rate are available for participants in the Hotel Le Méridien. The preferential rate applies until 15 April 2014. Bookings for the 15th and 16th of May 2014 must be made on the hotel's dedicated event page.

For reservations of any additional nights or for reservation assistance, please contact:

Ms. Elise Gillet
Convention Service Coordinator – Le Méridien
Tel: +32 (0)2 548 49 53
email: elise.gillet@lemeridien.com

OR

Ms. Priscilla Van Runckelen
Event Contact – Crowell & Moring
Tel: +32 (0)2 282 18 49
email: pvanrunckelen@crowell.com

Directions

For directions to the venue, please refer to the map. 

How to Book

To register please visit the Queen Mary eshop.

Registration Fees

  • Standard - £295.00
  • Government, international bodies, regulatory authorities and academics - £195.00

Contact

For more information on this event, please email icc@qmul.ac.uk.

Photography, video and audio recording

Please note that Department of Law events may be photographed or video and audio recorded. These materials will be used for internal and external promotional purposes only by Queen Mary University of London. If you object to appearing in the photographs, please let our photographer know on the day. Alternatively you can email lawevents@qmul.ac.uk in advance of the event that you are attending.

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