Competition, Regulatory and EU

In an increasingly globalised and regulated economy, the success of any business depends on a deep understanding of the applicable rules of competition and regulation.

Repercussions in the media, the liability of entities and their representatives, and the very strong impacts that cases of this nature have on the development of an activity can be devastating. No activity, regardless of its size, can currently grow without strong legal support in these matters.

Our team has extensive experience, rated, in fact, as one of the most experienced at the technical and academic level, in advisory services in the area of competition, regulation and European law.

We have specialists in competition law and in different regulated sectors and our strong collaborative and multidisciplinary spirit enables us to quickly put together teams adapted to the specific needs of each Client.

The services we provide:

Competition

  • Assessment and prevention of restrictive agreements, concerted practices and decisions of association of undertakings.
  • Advising on mergers, acquisitions and creation of joint ventures, within merger control files before the Competition Authority and the European Commission.
  • Advice and representation before the Competition Authority and the European Union and courts, in matters concerning sector inquiries and cartel related procedures, including leniency applications.
  • Advice and representation on abuses of dominant position and abuses of economic dependency, particularly in regulated markets.
  • Review of distribution, licensing and cooperation agreements, pricing policy as well as guidelines adopted by industrial or commercial associations of undertakings.
  • Development of compliance programmes.
  • Assessment, advice and representation of Clients in respect of of State Aid matters.

Regulation

Given the important role of regulatory law Abreu Advogados has invested in the quality of the legal advice relating to regulated sectors. Within network infrastructures including energy sectors, digital communications, transportation (specifically air transport) and water supply and sewage systems; and beyond such infrastructure, in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

In all of those sectors, the Firms has participated in large scale projects supporting the relationship with the corresponding regulatory authorities as well as supporting the administrative procedures:

  • Advising and representing, at the national and European level, in all stages of the relationship with the sector regulatory authorities, particularly in the areas of energy, water supply and sewage, healthcare, digital communications, transportation (train, air and maritime), media, public procurement and construction.
  • Advising on litigation proceedings.


European Union

 

  • Advising on the internal market rules – free movement of goods, services, capital and people.
  • Advising in the context of the European Union sector policies (policies on agriculture, information society and media, economy and finance, international industry and trade) and harmonization of national legislation.
  • Within the scope of European Union litigation, representing Clients before the European Courts.

Experience

Advising an energy sector multinational group on matters related to competition and sector specific regulation, intervening before ERSE (Energy Services Regulatory Authority) and the Competition Authority.

Advising an European distribution sector group on matters related to competition law and its respective representation before the Competition Authority

Audit and improvement of a competition law compliance programme implemented in Portugal by a multinational retail company.

Advising a North American multinational company on competition law related matters and the coordination of the multi-jurisdictional merger control file  in the context of the acquisition of a group of hospitals under the scope of its privatisation by the Portuguese State.

Advising a leading group in the aeronautical sector on competition law matters related to best practices adopted and to be adopted in the organization’s activities.

Advising an oil sector Spanish company on competition law matters related to the implementation of its distribution network, including judicial representation.

Advising and representing a multinational Portuguese investment company on port services concessions and maritime and logistics operations in the context of EU law and competition regulations.

Advising a Japanese automotive industry multinational in the implementation of its distribution and technical support network in several Member States of the European Union.

“Abreu Advogados delivers ‘what truly matters to the client’ at ‘a great price-quality ratio’. Inês Sequeira Mendes advised Immochan on the competition aspects of its acquisition of three shopping centres.Armando Martins Ferreira is representing Sport Lisboa e Benfica in litigation involving unfair competition and antitrust issues.”

“One client reccommends them “to every other company”, since “the success of our company is, to some extent, due to Abreu’s work.” (João Pascoal) Others sources mention “they have a very straightforward and efficient approach to matters, which is what you look for as a client.” (Katrin Longino)”

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