Wednesday, 25 October 2023

antitrustitalia Competition Lunch Talk with Guillaume Loriot on “Spotlight on non-horizontal mergers: an enforcer’s perspective”

Dear Friends,

Antitrustitalia is pleased to invite you to its next Competition Lunch Talk “Spotlight on non-horizontal mergers: an enforcer’s perspective” with Guillaume Loriot, as guest speaker.

The event will take place on Wednesday 25 October 2023 from 12:15 to 14:00 at the auditorium of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Competition (DG COMP).

Vertical and conglomerate mergers continue to be in the spotlight. After the prohibition of Illumina/Grail based on vertical concerns, and the long Microsoft/Activision saga, the European Commission recently prohibited Booking’s proposed acquisition of Etraveli on the basis that it would strengthen Booking’s dominant position in the online travel agencies market. With some applauding the European Commission’s stance, while others calling it a departure from the effects-based approach, the decision is making waves. Guillaume Loriot will present the European Commission’s recent enforcement in this space and provide insight into the what we can expect in the future. What can we learn from recent cases? How should (dominant) firms approach non-horizontal mergers? In what circumstances can they acquire a neighbouring firm? We will discuss these and other questions during our talk.

Guillaume Loriot is Deputy Director-General in charge of Mergers at DG COMP. Prior to that, he was Director responsible for Directorate C, dealing with antitrust, mergers and state aid in digital, telecoms and media cases. Prior to his appointment in 2014, Guillaume Loriot was the Deputy Head of Cabinet of Vice President Joaquin Almunia, between 2010 and 2014, and was specifically responsible for Antitrust and Merger control. Before joining the European Commission in 2002, Guillaume Loriot qualified as an avocat (Paris Bar) and worked with a Brussels’ Law firm specialized in EC competition law until 1997. He then completed five years of service as a referendaire with the EU General Court. He obtained his law degree at the University of Paris II, and is also a graduate of University College London, and of the College of Europe.

Lunch will be provided at 12:15, the presentation will begin at 13:00 and will close at 14:00. DG COMP auditorium is at DG COMP premises in Brussels, Place Madou 1, 1210 Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (Metro Madou).

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Click at the following link to secure your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spotlight-on-non-horizontal-mergers-an-enforcers-perspective-tickets-726808924057?aff=oddtdtcreator