Mr Frank Wijckmans > Faros > Machelen, Belgium > Lawyer Profile

Mr Frank Wijckmans

+32 (0)2 580 18 14 frank.wijckmans@faros.eu View profile

Work Department

Competition

Position

Frank is senior partner within Faros, handling EU and domestic competition law matters. He handled some of the most notorious cases both at EU level (such as Akzo predatory pricing; Tractors on information exchange; Volvo/Renault and Volvo/Scania on merger control; Trucks on cartels) and the Belgian domestic level (such as Honda on abuse of dominance; Supermarkets on hub and spoke cartels; White Star in the sports field; Kinepolis on remedies in merger control; Volvo/Kant on merger control).

Frank acted as expert advisor to DG Competition of the EC regarding the new EU competition law regime on vertical agreements. His report was published on the DG Competition website.

Frank is assessor at the BCA (appointed in that position by the Belgian government in February 2022).

Frank is professor at the Brussels School of Competition (LL.M.), where he teaches the “Law and Economics of Vertical Restraints”.

He is author of leading monographs such as “Vertical Agreements in EU Competition Law” which is in its third and soon fourth edition and is published by Oxford University Press. His most recent publication is “Horizontal Agreements – Block Exemptions & Horizontal Guidelines – Toolbook for Practitioners” (LeA Publishers) on the revised Horizontal Block Exemption Regulations on R&D and Specialisation agreements (‘HBERs’) and the revised 2023 Horizontal Guidelines. He wrote this book together with Faros partners Emmelie Wijckmans, Maaike Visser and Karolien Francken and with Faros Associate Annemie Van de Vliet and Faros consultant Morgane Smets. This book contains the new legislation with indications of key words in bold, as well as a practical Q&A.

Frank regularly speaks at leading national and international conferences on competition law.

In addition to his competition law practice, Frank has extensive experience in arbitration. He has been designated arbitrator in several ICC, Cepani and ad hoc arbitrations. He has acted as an expert witness on competition matters in arbitration proceedings. He is teaching a workshop on arbitration and competition law at the Brussels School of Competition.

Career

1986-1993: Van Bael & Bellis (Associate)

1993-2006: VWEW (Partner)

2006-2022: contrast (Co-founder & Partner)

In September 2022, he co-founded together with Maaike Visser, Emmelie Wijckmans, Anouk Focquet and Karolien Francken the boutique law firm Faros. The decision to start a boutique firm was prompted by the strategic choice for the future to enter the market with a very focused approach towards competition, data protection and compliance. Frank is senior partner at Faros.

Languages

Dutch, English, French, German (passive)

Memberships

Member of the Brussels Bar

Assessor at the BCA (appointed in that position by the Belgian government in February 2022)

Professor at the Brussels School of Competition (LL.M.)

Education

Master of Laws – University of Antwerp (1981-1985)

LL.M. – University of Virginia (1985-1986)