GCR's 2009 Competition Law Review: Recent developments in competition law and policy

Posted by D. Daniel Sokol

2009 Competition Law Review

In-depth analysis and debate on recent developments

in competition law and policy

Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November 2009, The Conrad Hotel, Brussels

Chairmen: Peter Alexiadis, Partner, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Brussels

Lars-Hendrik Röller, President, ESMT, Berlin

DAY ONE

Chairman: Peter Alexiadis

Partner, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP

09.00 Registration and coffee

09.20 Chairman’s opening remarks

09.30 Competition Law Snapshot – A Year in Review

• The legacy of the Kroes era

• Ever larger fines: Intel and Car glass

• New directions for vertical restraints policy

• More consultations and changes to come: Regulation

1/2003, horizontal agreements, ECMR

• The pharmaceutical sector inquiry findings: shocking?

• Merger control in a recession

• Challenges for the new DG Comp regime

Tony Reeves, Partner, Clifford Chance LLP

10.40 Coffee

11.00 Latest Developments in Cartel Enforcement

• Review of recent cases

• Level of fines

• Direct settlements – first assessment on how the process is working

Olivier Guersent, Director, DG Competition, European Commission

Gerwin van Gerven, Partner, Linklaters LLP

Gary R Spratling, Partner, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Comment from:

Jürgen Schwarze, Director, Institute of Public Law, Department

of European and Public International Law

Wouter Wils, Legal Service, European Commission and Professor King’s College London

12.30 Lunch

13.45 Information Exchange –

Challenges for Antitrust in a Recession

• Impact on trade associations

• Managing production shutdowns

• Tolling arrangements

• Extra compliance

• The recent T-Mobile case – whether a concerted practice

(exchanging information at a single meeting) has an

anti-competitive object

Robbert Snelders, Partner, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

14.20 Vertical Agreements – The Revised Regulation and Guidelines

• Review of the main changes – resale price maintenance, selective distribution

• Internet selling and distribution options of dominant firms

Luc Peeperkorn, Senior Administrator, DG Competition, European Commission

Panel discussion and comment:

Stephen Kinsella OBE, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

Nikos Vettas, Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business, CEPR and Economic Advisory Group in Competition Policy

Melanie Thill-Tayara, Partner, Salans

15.30 Tea

15.50 Recent Developments in Merger Control

– Policy Developments and Emerging Trends in an Economic Downturn

Moderator: Philippe Chappatte, Partner, Slaughter and May

• Efficiencies in horizontal and non-horizontal mergers

• What have we learned from the current crisis?

• The failing firm defence – OFT and the Commission

• Remedies

• The Commission’s Review of the Merger Regulation and how it is working

• The ICN Recommended Practice for Mergers

• Recent economic developments in EC merger assessment

• Developments in the US

Guillaume Loriot, Head of Unit, Antitrust and Merger Case Support, DG Competition, European Commission

Simon Priddis, Partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

Matthias Pflanz, Vice President, CRA International

James W Lowe, Partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

18.00 Close of Day One

18.00 Drinks reception

DAY two

Chairman: Lars-Hendrik Röller, President of ESMT

08.30 Coffee

09.00 Chairman’s welcome and opening remarks

09.15 Keynote Address

Reflections on the past seven years – “Competition Policy Challenges in Europe”

Philip Lowe, Director General, DG Competition, European Commission

09.45 Keynote Address

The first months of a new administration – priorities for

enforcement, monopolisation and Article 2

J Thomas Rosch, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

10.30 Coffee

10.50 PANE L SESSION – QUESTION TIME

A roundtable discussion with senior competition representatives

Moderator: Lars-Hendrik Röller, President of ESMT

J Thomas Rosch, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

Philip Lowe, Director General, DG Competition, European Commission

Bruno Lasserre, President, Autorité de la Concurrence

Christian Ewald, Chief Economist, Bundeskartellamt

Philip Collins, Chairman, Office of Fair Trading

Frédéric Jenny, Director for International Relations ESSEC,

Judge Supreme Court of France

12.45 Lunch

14.00 Article 82 – Competition Issues in the High-Tech Sector

Moderator: Thomas Vinje, Partner, Clifford Chance LLP

• Application of Article 82 in innovative and high-tech markets

• Review recent cases: Intel, Microsoft, Rambus

• The online commerce roundtable

Nick Banasevic, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Competition, European Commission

James S Venit, Partner, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP

Lars Kjølbye, Partner, Howrey LLP

Jorge Padilla, Managing Director, LECG

Petri Kuoppamäki, Vice President Corporate Legal, Nokia Corporation

15.00 The Pharmaceutical Sector Inquiry

• The Commission’s final report – findings and conclusions

Philipp Gasparon, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Competition, European Commission

Stephen Kon, Partner, SJ Berwin LLP

David H Rosenberg, Industry Affairs, Corporate IP, GlaxoSmithKline tbc

16.00 Tea

16.15 Damages Actions for Breach of the EC Antitrust Rules

• Passing on; opt-in and opt-out; disclosure and costs

• Quantification of damages

Daniele Calisti, Private Enforcement Unit, DG Competition Comment and panel discussion

Robert O’Donoghue, Brick Court Chambers

Gunnar Niels, Director, Oxera

Tim Reher, Partner, CMS Hasche Sigle

17.15 Close of conference