Antitrust, dominance abuses and compliance

KA-Legal has a strong, long-standing, and diverse practice in the area of EU and national antitrust rules, including cartels and abuses of dominant positions. Over the years, our practice has focused particularly on the energy, shipping, media and telecommunications, air transport, gambling, and pharmaceutical sectors. Members of our team have acted as leading counsel in major landmark cases involving the operation of state monopolies and undertakings or utilities holding exclusive rights under EU law.

We advise corporate clients, trade associations, and public entities on navigating complex behavioral antitrust inquiries, structuring distribution networks, and implementing robust internal compliance frameworks. Our team frequently represents clients before the European Commission's DG Competition and national competition authorities. We also provide specialized counsel in international commercial arbitrations where EU competition law and sector-specific regulatory frameworks are central to the dispute.

Indicative examples of our work

  • Cartel investigations and leniency

    Representing clients in proceedings before the European Commission and national competition authorities in cartel investigations across air transport, energy, shipping, pharmaceuticals, financial services, information technology, media, and sports. Advising on leniency applications and settlement agreements.

  • Arbitration and regulatory counsel

    Acting as expert EU antitrust and REMIT counsel in international commercial arbitration procedures conducted under ICC rules, with a particular focus on the energy and sports media entertainment sectors.

  • Information exchange advisory

    Advising clients on the application of competition rules to information exchange mechanisms in sectors such as air transport, chemicals, container liner shipping, sports, and entertainment.

  • Dominance abuses assessment

    Regularly advising clients on the rules regarding abuses of dominant positions, with a specific focus on energy, air transport, media and telecommunications, sports, and entertainment.

  • Trade association counsel

    Acting as counsel for trade associations within the EU to ensure that their organizational structures, governance, and activities comply with EU competition rules.

  • Compliance programs and dawn raids

    Drafting and helping implement antitrust compliance policies and manuals for corporate clients, including operational do's and don'ts manuals, customized training sessions, and mock dawn raids.

  • Commercial agreements review

    Reviewing commercial agreements under Articles 101 and 102 TFEU and corresponding EU Member State regulations. Advising on pricing issues, distribution strategies, standardization, trade association membership, and exploitative or exclusionary abuses.

Recent experience

  • Telecoms antitrust complaint

    Representing a telecoms company in an antitrust complaint before the European Commission.

  • Industrial electricity pricing

    Advising and representing a major energy-intensive industrial producer on the electricity pricing practices of a dominant incumbent supplier.

  • Trade association litigation

    Advising a member of an international barcode trade association in litigation proceedings before national courts following expulsion from membership, addressing potential breaches of EU and national competition rules.

  • Sports media rights defense

    Successfully defending an international sports federation against abuse of dominance allegations relating to the acquisition of media broadcasting rights in international arbitration procedures.

  • Pharmaceutical pay-for-delay investigation

    Advising and representing a major pharmaceutical company in connection with the European Commission's pay-for-delay antitrust investigation concerning Servier and perindopril.

  • Telecoms compliance and defense

    Successfully advising a major telecommunications provider on EU competition and regulatory issues, defending against regulatory complaints, and delivering a full compliance program for management and sales staff.

  • Film distribution procedures

    Representing a major international film distributor in national antitrust procedures.

  • Air carrier surcharge investigation

    Representing a major Asian air carrier in the framework of the European Commission antitrust investigation into airline surcharges.

  • Freight forwarders surcharge inquiry

    Advising and representing a major international logistics company in the European Commission antitrust investigation into freight forwarders' surcharge policies.

  • Airline joint venture assessment

    Advising a major international airline in a comprehensive self-assessment exercise concerning EU antitrust compliance for a joint venture with a competing carrier.

  • Multinational compliance training

    Providing EU antitrust compliance training to a major multinational container shipping company and two telecommunication operators.