In The Picture - Unwrapping the AI act: a new surprise for M&A transactions

𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 ... 💭 In recent years, your company has invested heavily in innovation through the use of AI systems within the work environment. The company is performing better than ever, and several candidates are interested to take over the company.

During a meeting about the launch of the acquisition process, your legal advisor explains that a new regulation imposes strict requirements on the development and use of AI. This regulation would also affect the acquisition process.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞? Read our latest #inthepicture ‘Unwrapping the AI Act: a new surprise for M&A transactions’, or contact our corporate counsel Kristof De Wael and associate Maarten Cnudde.
👉 https://lnkd.in/euK-uC5A

#ArtificialIntelligence #MergersandAcquisitions #EU #EuropeanCommission #AIAct

Highlights from our lunch bite on the New Liability Regime

We would like to extend our thanks to all participants for their presence and interest. It was an informative session discussing the latest developments and implications of the new extra-contractual liability regime, which will enter into force on 1 January 2025.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our partners Bart Bellen and Milena Varga. They are ready to assist you.

📊 The slides of their presentation are available for everyone who registered.  Please email us at events@contrast.law if you would also like to receive them.

📅 Interested in receiving updates on our future lunch bites? You can register here to receive notifications about upcoming events:

https://lnkd.in/ejEg2d53

We look forward to welcoming you at our next event!

#law #webinar #boek6 #legalnews #legalupdate #meetcontrast #contrastlunchbite

Guest lecture on legal ethics

Last Friday, our competition partner Sebastien Engelen and associate Marie-Julie Kormoss gave a guest lecture to law students at KU Leuven on ‘The Implications of Legal Professional Privilege for Lawyers and In-house Counsels’. This as part of the course ‘Professional Ethics and Integrity of the Lawyer’.

Thank you to Professor Françoise Auvray for providing this opportunity, and to the students for their enthusiastic participation.

Also interested in learning more about this topic? Read our In the Picture ‘Can the competition authority see what you write to your management and to your lawyer?’ (available in English/Dutch/French)

#lawstudents #lawyers #inhousecounsel #lawfirm #KULeuven #guestlecture #contraststudentcorner #meetcontrast

ECJ reiterates principles of effects-analysis under Article 101 TFEU in KIA-case

On 5 December 2024, the ECJ issued its preliminary ruling in an Estonian vertical restrictions case.

The case concerned KIA’s car warranty being dependent on whether KIA owners carry out regular repair and maintenance not covered by the warranty with KIA instead of with independent repairers.

The Estonian competition authority had fined KIA for this practice as it considered that the requirement impeded access to independent repairers and to independent producers of spare parts. The Estonian authority had argued that this obligation had a potentially anticompetitive effect and therefore infringed the ban on anti-competitive agreements. In appeal, the referring court asked the ECJ whether the existence of potential anti-competitive effects was sufficient or whether actual/real effects had to be demonstrated.

The ECJ confirmed its case-law and confirmed, unsurprisingly, that the finding of (appreciable) potential anti-competitive effects suffice to demonstrate an infringement of article 101 TFEU. Interestingly however, the ECJ confirmed in what appears to be an obiter dictum explicitly that the effects-test under article 101 TFEU is the same as the effects-test under article 102 TFEU (for exclusionary abuses).

Any questions? Contact your usual contact person at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭.

#ECJ #competitionlaw #lawfirm #contrast #contrastupdate

Job application workshop for VUB Law Students

Are you keen to learn the dos and don'ts of job applications? Do you want to know how to stand out and make a positive impression during the hiring process?

Then be sure to attend our job application workshop organised in collaboration with ELSA Brussel.

During this workshop, you will receive many practical tips on how to prepare for and conduct a successful interview. You will also have the opportunity to refine your skills and receive valuable feedback during a simulated interview.

This way, you will be fully prepared for future job opportunities.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧?
📆 Thursday, December 12th (6 PM – 8 PM, including a closing reception)
📍 VUB campus, classroom E006

(You can no longer register for this workshop)

#LawStudents #ELSABrussel #VUB #contraststudentcorner #meetcontrast

Saint Nicholas at contrast

Last sunday Saint Nicholas arrived at our office. All contrasters and children celebrated the joyful event with a festive brunch, fun activities and, of course, many presents! 🎁

Thank you to Saint Nicholas and our 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 vibes team for organising this unforgettable day.

Check out our post on LinkedIn.

#contrastvibes #saintnicholas #sinterklaas

contrast update - Belgium Moves Forward with CSRD Implementation

Yesterday, the Belgian Parliament adopted the bill to implement the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

The CSRD framework aims to enhance transparency, comparability, and accountability in corporate reporting on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. The implementing law requires Belgian companies to publish more detailed information about the impact of their activities on the environment, their personnel policies, measures against corruption and bribery, and how they respect human rights.

A first “wave” of approximately 28 Belgian listed companies is required to report already on the financial year 2024 (annual report published in 2025). Reporting obligations will be extended in two more “waves” to other Belgian companies in 2026 (financial year 2025) and 2027 (financial year 2026). The National Bank of Belgium’s estimates can be found here🔗 https://lnkd.in/eAi52c6a

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨?

Consult the parliamentary document record here

Read the text of CSRD🔗https://lnkd.in/eY_DEehd

𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?

Contact our corporate team. We are ready to assist you with these new reporting requirements.

#ESG #Sustainability #CSRD #CorporateResponsibility #contrastupdate

Job fairs

𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!

Are you looking for a valuable internship in one of the following domains: competition & EU, corporate & M&A, commercial law or dispute resolution?

At 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 you gain hands-on experience through interesting cases and continuous coaching from a great team which you can join as summer/winter/academic intern, research assistant or as junior lawyer.

Interested? Come and visit our booth at the following job fair:
𝟐𝟔 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: KU Leuven job fair (Brabanthal)
𝟐𝟕 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: UCLouvain job fair (Aula Magna)

You can also apply directly via the following link:
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eZ_aGDMV

We cannot wait to meet you!

#lawstudents #jobfairs #lawfirm #legalinternship #contraststudentcorner #meetcontrast

First aid training

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞 🚑

Safety in the workplace is a shared responsibility, which is why 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 decided to participate in a valuable first aid training course. Split into two groups, we learned how to perform CPR, as well as how to correctly use a defibrillator.

It was an educational course filled with life-saving knowledge that enables us to react swiftly and help others in case of an emergency.

A special thank you to Emergency Life Skills for hosting this class.
 

#contrasttraining #firstaid #firstaidtraining #safetyatwork #ESG #SDGs #ContinuousLearning

contrast update - European Commission suggests consolidation of EU ESG reporting frameworks

In a recent statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that ESG reporting requirements could potentially be consolidated into one “omnibus” regulation. The initiative aims to reduce reporting burdens on companies and enhance the EU’s competitiveness.

In this context, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the EU Taxonomy Regulation may be combined.

Curious about what this means for your company, and interested in knowing more about the obligations for your company under the CSDDD? Join us at our next 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 event on 5 December 2024, during which we will dive into this topic with a select group.

Are you an inhouse counsel interested in attending? Contact your regular contact person at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 or send us a message at contrastconnects@contrast.law.

#Sustainability #ESG #EU #EuropeanCommission #CSDDD #CSRD #contrastconnects #contrastupdate