EU CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE - DLA Piper/media/Files/Insights/Publications/2013/0… · achieving their...

EU CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

02 | EU Centre of Excellence

UNPARALLELED EUROPE

Businesses throughout Europe and beyond – in particular multinational corporations based outside the EU and doing business in Europe – are increasingly affected by European policy and legislation. It is estimated that between 70-80% of national legislation throughout the EU is based on EU law – or is EU law directly applicable in Member States (e.g. Regulations). New policies and legislative initiatives are launched on a daily basis and existing legislation is under constant review. Through Directives and Regulations – the two main legislative instruments that the EU has at its disposal – the European Union has an impact on most business sectors. Ultimately, the case law of the European Court of Justice is adding a conclusive layer of definitive legislative guidance for affected and concerned stakeholders.

Taking into account the European single market, 27 Member States, over 500 million citizens (and potential consumers) and the highest GDP compared globally, there is hardly any policy and legislative centre as significant as Brussels.

In addition, EU policy does not only affect the business community. Also third-country foreign governments have a direct interest to engage with and influence the European Institutions through classic diplomatic means as well as public diplomacy. This may relate to economic, trade and foreign investment policies, as well as other typical foreign policy issues such as human rights, counter-terrorism, development co-operation, good governance, energy, transport and environment. Due to the high level of complexity, also foreign governments increasingly use specialised legal and government affairs services to assist in achieving their policy objectives.

IN THE HEART OF EUROPE – THE DLA PIPER OFFICE IN BRUSSELS

Just as Brussels has become a synonym for Europe, DLA Piper Brussels is synonymous for excellence in providing a broad range of EU legal, regulatory and policy services.

Over the years, it has accumulated unparalleled expertise in managing complex legal, regulatory and policy files with EU components.

The office – home to 31 partners and over 130 lawyers – not only advises a portfolio of international and national clients on European issues directly, it also assists lawyers and experts in other DLA Piper offices worldwide that have “EU questions”. In line with the wider firm’s ambition, it has become a trusted business advisor to its clients, national as well as international. We are passionate about our work and proud of the expertise we can offer.

OUR APPROACH

Yes, we are lawyers. But also EU regulatory policy experts and trusted business advisors. In particular regarding the European legal and regulatory matters we deal with, a distinguishing element in our service offering is that DLA Piper in Brussels advises clients not only on legal issues at the stage when such legislation and regulation are adopted and have entered into force. We already engage with policy-makers and legislators at the early stages of the legislative process. In some cases we even initiate legal reviews. The European Institutions (European Commission, European Council and European Parliament) are obliged to consult with stakeholders and the DLA Piper team in Brussels navigates the EU consultative and decision-making processes, ensuring that the interests of our clients are represented during the legislative process.

DLA PIPER BRUSSELS EU REGULATORY & POLICY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

www.dlapiper.com | 03

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

DLA Piper in Brussels is an impressive powerhouse of knowledge, skills and experience. Get to know the office – some key practice areas and sectors:

■ EU Law – General e.g.:

– Internal market

– State aid

– Traditional freedoms (free movement of good, persons, services and capital)

– Environmental law

– Public procurement

■ EU Competition Law

■ Public & Private International Law, Human Rights Law and Diplomatic Law

■ Trade, WTO Law, Sanctions and Export Controls

■ EU Financing – subsidies & other financial instruments (including the European Investment Bank)

■ General EU Policy & Regulatory Advise and Advocacy – Public Affairs and Government Affairs with focus on sectors:

– Banking, Finance & Insurance

– EU Funding and Financing

– Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences & Biotechnology

– Transport, Energy & Environment

– Food, Nutrition & Water

– Technology, Internet & E-commerce

– Foreign Governments & Privatised Diplomatic Services

– Sanctions, WTO Law, Export Controls and Trade Defence Instruments

■ Media & Communications Support – including litigation and crisis communication

■ EU Litigation – Developing a focus on litigation before the European Court of Justice.



INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS – EU HUB AND GATEWAY TO EUROPE

DLA Piper in Brussels is not a stand-alone office. It is a fully integrated international hub whereby excellence is driven by cross-border, multinational teamwork among experts throughout the DLA Piper global network. The office in Brussels is already servicing an increasingly international, global client base, at the same time mindful of the local and regional markets and their champions.

Brussels – Gateway to Europe. Connecting the worldwide network to Europe. The Brussels office serves as a port of call for any international client that requires legal and related services at any European location.

US Focus – EU legal, regulatory and policy support is crucial for US corporations. Brussels traditionally has a strong focus on the US where DLA Piper has 35 offices. There is also a direct link between Brussels and Washington – connecting the two main policy, legislative and regulatory centres of the world.

EU LAW OR NATIONAL LAW?

In many cases what seems to be a legal issue based on national law in a particular EU Member State, could turn out to be an EU Law issue. It could concern the interpretation and application of EU Regulations or a matter of incorrect transposition of an EU Directive into national law. In both cases EU law should prevail since in the legal order, EU Law supersedes national law. EU Law experts at DLA Piper in Brussels, in co-operation with the offices of the Firm throughout the European Union is well-positioned to assess and compare the implementation and application of EU Law. In particular incorrect national implementation of EU Directives negatively affects the EU internal market. It may result in bringing infringement procedures against that Member State as well as cases for damages.



SUMMARY PROFILE

Jeroen Jansen is partner of DLA Piper’s Trade, Regulatory and Government Affairs in Brussels. He has extensive diplomatic experience as a former member of the Dutch diplomatic service (1990-2001) where he held postings in The Hague, Belgrade, Vienna, Beirut and Brussels. He dealt extensively with multilateral (UN, EU, OSCE) and as well as bilateral diplomatic issues (Lebanon, Former Yugoslavia). Throughout the foreign office years, he was responsible for a wide range of files in the field of trade, trade promotion and commercial diplomacy.

Jeroen JansenEU Policy, Foreign Governments, Sanctions & Overall Strategy T +32 (0)2 500 15 18 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Dr. Bertold Bär-Bouyssière has almost 20 years of EU experience in Brussels. The focus of his practice is antitrust. He advises in all areas of competition law from defending companies in competition investigations to merger control and State aid. Equally experienced in manufacturing sectors and services, he has been particularly exposed to competition law issues in the life science sector. He is also focusing on the technology sectors. He also advises companies about legislative developments at EU level aimed at completing the Single Market.

Bertold Bär-BouyssièreEU competition, State-aid T +32 (0)2 500 15 35 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Bob Martens is the country managing partner of the Belgian offices of DLA Piper. He is widely recognised as one of the leading regulatory lawyers in Belgium. He has actively and successfully been involved in many large-scale PPP projects. He has also been involved in brownfield redevelopment and soil pollution cases. He deals with international public procurement files like the construction of NATO buildings and the development of the first Joint Auction Platform for EU ETS allowances, on behalf of the European Commission and 24 Member States. He also acts on behalf of private clients against European institutions.

OUR EXPERTS

Bob MartensEU procurement, State Aid, Energy T +32 (0)2 500 15 03 [email protected]

OUR EXPERTS


OUR EXPERTS

Barteld SchutyserPublic Procurement, PPP T +32 (0)2 500 15 37 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Barteld Schutyser is mainly active in the field of European and Belgian competition (internal market) law and public law, with a high degree of specialisation in public procurement law and public private partnerships. He acts for governments as well as for private bodies and is well aware of the specific issues that arise from both sides. He is highly regarded as a litigator as well as a negotiator.

Dominique DevosSoil, Waste, Food & Nutrition Chemicals (REACH and CLP) T +32 (0)2 500 15 56 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Dominique Devos practices public, administrative, environmental law in general, and soil and waste in particular. He is heavily involved in Brownfield development and advises clients on how to tackle soil pollution. On the environmental site he advises clients on permits, air pollution, noise, waste water. Dominique also deals with all kinds of regulatory issues, such as packaging, labeling, RoHS, WEEE. Furthermore he focusses on the chemical sector where he’s gained relevant expertise in REACH and CLP. Dominique also advises client in the food and beverage sector on several different topics, such as food labeling, health claims, nutrition issues, information to consumers.

Kim MöricPharma & Life Sciences T +32 (0)2 500 15 26 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Kim Möric has developed a deep knowledge of the governmental bodies and administrations. Before joining DLA Piper, he has worked during 6 years within Belgian Governments as deputy chief of cabinet and as legal advisor in several ministerial cabinets. He is working on matters related to the Pharmaceutical and Life science Industry (pharmaceuticals, biological products and medical devices) under European and Belgian Law.


Patrick Van Eecke Technology & Data Protection T +32 (0)2 500 16 30 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Prof. dr. Patrick Van Eecke advises telecommunication companies, internet service providers, software developers, governments and companies using IT and telecommunications facilities and services. He is extensively involved in diverse research and consulting projects for the European Commission and several national governments. He holds the global co-chair of DLA Piper’s international E-business practice group, steering its multijurisdictional E-business legal strategy. He is founder and chair of the ADM ICT legal counsel working group. He is also a domain names arbitrator.

Annelies VerlindenPublic Procurement, PPP T +32 (0)2 500 15 43 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Annelies Verlinden is specialized in administrative and public law. She is especially occupied with public procurement proceedings and public private partnerships. Moreover she gained experience in renewable energy projects, off shore and on shore. Projects where she issued advices are i.a. the public procurement procedure for the missing link project R4, an off shore wind farm (42 wind turbines) in the North Sea, PPP project School infrastructure and the construction of a new hospital in Antwerp.

OUR EXPERTS

Geert van CalsterEnergy & Environment T +32 (0)2 500 15 47 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Prof. dr. Geert Van Calster has all-round experience in EU regulatory law, with a specific focus on environmental law; conflict of laws, and trade law (both external: WTO issues, and internal: Internal Market issues). Geert was director of studies of the reputable Master of Energy and Environmental Law program at KU Leuven, and heads Leuven Law’s Department of International and EU law. He holds visiting positions i.a. at Melbourne, Beijing, and King’s College, London.

Yoichi ShibasakiEU Competition Japanese Clients Outbound T +32 (0)2 500 16 95 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Yoichi Shibasaki has over 27 years of experience in European and Japanese competition law, M&A and other contractual matters. His competition law practice includes state aid, free movement of goods, persons, services and capital, national merger filing, cartel, damage actions, advice on application of competition law to agreement and abuse of dominant position. He has also developed technology, chemical and materials sector expertise. Typically, he assists Japanese companies with merger filing, cartel and compliance work, as well as acquisitions, joint ventures and commercial contracts.

SUMMARY PROFILE

Mike Pullen is the Head of International Trade and Government Affairs. He is recognised by the European Commission as a leading expert in competition law, electronic commerce and data protection law. He has advised a number of governments on the formulation and implementation of domestic and international trade and investment policy. He has been involved in the legislation process on a number of occasions and has excellent contacts in EU institutions and also within the US Government departments.

Mike PullenHead of International Trade and Government Affairs T +44 20 7796 6569 [email protected]

SUMMARY PROFILE

Juan Jiménez-Laiglesia is country managing partner of the office in Spain. He is head of the international competition group. He has extensive experience in joint ventures, strategic alliances, and mergers and acquisitions (on behalf of both notifying parties and third parties), as well as abuses of dominant position, cartel investigations, and state aid matters before the European Commission, the European Courts and Spanish Competition authorities and Courts.

Juan Jiménez-LaiglesiaEC Law, Competition and Regulatory Law T +34 91 788 73 78 [email protected]

Rik Servais Business Strategy and Knowledge Manager, BrusselsT +32 (0)2 500 1549F +32 (0)2 500 1600 [email protected]

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

OUR EXPERTS

DLA Piper is a global law firm operating through various separate and distinct legal entities.

Further details of these entities can be found at www.dlapiper.com

Copyright © 2013 DLA Piper. All rights reserved. | MAY13 | 2529383

www.dlapiper.com

If you have finished with this document, please pass it on to other interested parties or recycle it, thank you.

EU CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE - DLA Piper/media/Files/Insights/Publications/2013/0… · achieving their...

Documents

Transcript of EU CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE - DLA Piper/media/Files/Insights/Publications/2013/0… · achieving their...