Closing Conference

With the decentralization of competition law enforcement and the development of private damages actions in the European Union as well as with the increasingly international character of antitrust proceedings, there is a growing need for clear and workable rules to coordinate cross-border actions of both a judicial and administrative nature. These include not only rules on jurisdiction, the applicable law and recognition of judgments, but also on sharing of evidence, protection of business secrets and interplay between administrative and judicial procedures. Those issues, which have been overlooked for so long, have been reflected upon by a group of international experts from across Europe and the United States who will identify current pitfalls and formulate concrete proposals for improving coordination of cross-border antitrust litigations.

The conference took place at the Hilton in Brussels, on 26 March 2010. See the full program.

Introduction by Prof. Stéphanie Francq

Morning : Private Enforcement in the EU. Choice of court and choice of law

Jurisdiction in cross-border litigations – Brussels I

Chaired by Dr Karen Vandekerckhove

Speakers : Prof. Blanca Vilá Costa, Michael Wilderspin, Dimitrios Panagiotis Tzakas

The Applicable law – Rome I and Rome II

Chaired by Prof. Jürgen Basedow

Speakers : Prof. Stéphanie Francq, Prof. Wolfgang Wurmnest, Prof. Sylvaine Poillot Peruzzetto and Dominika Lawnicka, Dr Assimakis Komninos

Afternoon : Public enforcement in the EU. Coordination between authorities

Coordination issues within the ECN

Chaired by Sir Christopher Bellamy QC

Speakers : Prof. Barry Rodger, Damien Gerard, Prof. Laurence Idot, Robert Moldén

 Antitrust Litigation in the era of globalisation. Coordinating private enforcements actions in the EU and the US

 Chaired by Prof. horatia Muir Watt

Speakers : Prof. Ralf Michaels, Prof. Maurice Stucke, Prof. Catherine Kessedjian

Conclusion by Prof. Jürgen Basedow