Competition enforcement in Spain has weakened due to uncertainty surrounding the country’s competition authority, though it has increased significantly in Portugal – meanwhile, the EU directive on antitrust damages will make clients less likely to
The consequences of infringing competition law are becoming more serious, while there is increasing awareness of the possibility of claiming damages for such infringements
Actions for damages related to cartels are a major concern for clients as competition authorities step up the fight against such infringements, says Carlos Vérgez, head of competition at Broseta in Madrid.
Law firms find it difficult to provide conclusive advice to clients due to the many ‘grey areas’ in competition law – however, such rules ensure companies are held to account and stop market abuse
The fines and penalties imposed on companies, their management and their directors for anticompetitive practices are expected to increase so it is vital that companies ensure they are not breaching competition laws, says Ángel Valdé
Ruling means exclusivity rebates will not always be considered an abuse of dominance, while banking enquiry means increasing focus on sophisticated financial products
There is considerable demand from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for EU and competition law advice due to continuous changes to regulations, says Ricardo Rodrigues Lopes, partner at Caiado Guerreiro.
