Brussels

Located in the heart of the European Union’s capital city, our Brussels office is a key player in the antitrust, regulatory, and trade arena. Our lawyers are part of a collaborative, global, multi-office team that assists with all EU matters that are key to all clients doing business with and in the EU.

Our Brussels office (opened in 1989) is known for providing EU antitrust advice and litigating before the European Commission (EC) and EU courts. Our team’s antitrust capabilities range from multijurisdictional transactional advice to handling antitrust investigations (cartels and abuses of dominance) and advising on collaboration and other business agreements or business operations by holders of dominant market positions, in coordination with the firm’s global antitrust practice.

Together with colleagues across our other offices, the multinational Brussels team handles foreign direct investment (FDI) filings in multiple jurisdictions around the globe. Both in the transactional space as well as in the other areas where the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) is applicable, the Brussels office routinely advises on FSR compliance and makes filings to the EC under the FSR. 

The office also has a significant EU regulatory and trade practice, handling matters that are relevant to all clients doing business with and in the EU:

EU Export Control & Trade

Together with the firm’s global white collar litigation and government investigations and international trade and national security practices, the Brussels office advises on EU import and export control. This includes advice on the EU’s Dual Use Regulation, EU sanctions rules, and import-related questions under the EU Anti-Subsidy Regulation as well as trade defense instruments, such as tariffs or duties. We also assist companies to navigate restrictions to trade within the EU’s internal market that affect the sale of their products or the supply of their services as well as product liability and waste/recycling in the EU.

EU Telecom, Cybersecurity, and Digital Markets Regulation

Together with the telecommunications, media, and technology practice, the Brussels team advises on key EU legislation such as EU 5G, EU Cybersecurity (EU Cybersecurity Act, NIS 2 Directive, EU Cyber Resilience Act), EU Data Management rules (EU Data Act, DMA, DSA, Data Governance Act), and EU tech and digital regulation (EU AI Act, EU Chips Act).

Energy Transition and ESG Advisory

Together with the firm’s energy practice, the Brussels team advises on key EU legislation addressing issues common on both sides of the Atlantic and other jurisdictions, such as the key pieces of the EU’s Green Deal: the EU’s emissions trading scheme, voluntary carbon markets, carbon emission offsets, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (the world’s first carbon border tax), the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, EU ESG rules (such as the Supply Chain Directive and the Forced Labor Regulation), as well as EU funding instruments, such as the Net Zero Industry Act and Important Projects of Common European Interest. 

EU Litigation

As EU qualified attorneys with rights of audience, our Brussels team litigates a wide range of matters before the EU courts, assisting colleagues across various practice groups and in multiple European languages.