Competition: EU
Europe Guide 2024 : Belgium
Band 5
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+32 2 231 11 40About
Provided by Gide Loyrette Nouel
Our Brussels office was set up in 1967. It now comprises five partners, and counts among its ranks lawyers drawn from ten different nationalities as well as former high officials of the European Commission. Gide Brussels has in-depth knowledge of the procedures behind drafting and implementing EU regulations, making it the perfect partner for successfully representing the interests of its clients. Gide Brussels specialises in all major business sectors (transport, energy, telecommunications, financial services, media, agri-food) and main fields of regulatory intervention (public tenders, EU financing, product or foodstuff safety, health, environment, climate etc.).
Over the years, we have acquired considerable experience and significant expertise enabling us to offer tailored and innovative solutions to competition issues encountered by our clients, including anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position, merger control and State aids.
The pursuit of excellence drives Gide Brussels in international economic law proceedings, combating unfair practices such as dumping and public subsidies. Additionally, Gide Brussels is a recognised legal contact for companies, institutions and governments alike on new globalisation regulatory topics, including public tenders, services, investments, regulatory obstacles, export control, intellectual property protection and trade secrets, both in multilateral procedures and bilateral agreements.
Chambers Review
Gide Loyrette Nouel regularly advises on merger control issues arising from planned M&A and joint venture transactions. It has further experience in EC abuse of dominance and anti-competitive practice investigations, with a focus on advising complainants and interveners. It is particularly active for TMT, transport, energy and finance companies and stands out for its focus on French and Polish clients, whom it represents before both national and EU authorities. The team's practice is also well versed in issues relating to state aid litigation, compliance and notifications.
Work Highlights
- Gide Loyrette Nouel advised BNP Paribas on obtaining phase I merger clearance of its joint venture with CACEIS before the European Commission.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Gide Loyrette Nouel is a firm that understands our business and needs and translates its advice in an understandable way."
"We always felt that every team member had deep knowledge and understanding of the case and its current status. It is relieving to know that you have a team that is always on top of things."
"Gide Loyrette Nouel's competition team was very responsive and able to innovate to propose solutions to various legal issues encountered."
"Gide Loyrette Nouel has displayed an ability to understand and analyse complex issues related to our sector and advise on solutions as well. Nothing seems complicated or overly sophisticated for colleagues at Gide, who are very capable of handling and advising on tough topics."
"The team is very knowledgeable and hard-working."
"Gide Loyrette Nouel is a firm that understands our business and needs and translates its advice in an understandable way."
"We always felt that every team member had deep knowledge and understanding of the case and its current status. It is relieving to know that you have a team that is always on top of things."
"Gide Loyrette Nouel's competition team was very responsive and able to innovate to propose solutions to various legal issues encountered."
"Gide Loyrette Nouel has displayed an ability to understand and analyse complex issues related to our sector and advise on solutions as well. Nothing seems complicated or overly sophisticated for colleagues at Gide, who are very capable of handling and advising on tough topics."
"The team is very knowledgeable and hard-working."
Notable Practitioners
Moving up in the rankings is Laurent Godfroid who advises transport and oil and gas companies on the notification of mergers and has experience in complex cases that require the negotiation of significant remedy packages. He has also got notable expertise acting for interveners and complainants in EC investigations in the IT industry.
"Laurent Godfroid is dedicated, committed and simply brilliant."
"Laurent Godfroid is a business-oriented person who gives legal advice in a solid, practical and understandable way with many years of expertise."
"Laurent Godfroid is one of the best lawyers I have had the chance to work with."
Benoît Le Bret has experience in EU and national merger filings and also assists with the filing of complaints to the EC in response to anti-competitive conduct by competitors. He is particularly active for transportation and telecommunications clients.
"Benoît Le Bret is excellent. He is super commercial and strategic, sees the bigger picture and is a guy you want alongside you when you are on the battlefield."
"He provides very interesting solutions."
"He is uniquely combining very strong legal knowledge with very strong connections to the decision-making machinery. He understands what is doable or not, how hard to go in and how to move strategically."
"He also speaks a language that our teams understand. He translated the European gobbledegook into something we can implement into our work."
"Benoît Le Bret has very good knowledge of European affairs and EU legislation."
Ranked Lawyers at
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Belgium
Members
Provided by Gide Loyrette Nouel
