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ARTICLE · 14 MAY 2013

Belgium Enacts New Competition Law

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A profound change to the institutional and procedural landscape for competition law in Belgium has taken place with the enactment of new competition law provisions in the Belgian Code of Economic Law.

BelgiumAntitrust/Competition Law
Alexandre Verheyden
Alexandre Verheyden
Serge Clerckx
Serge Clerckx
Yvan Desmedt
Yvan Desmedt
Laurent De Muyter
Laurent De Muyter
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A profound change to the institutional and procedural landscape for competition law in Belgium has taken place with the enactment of new competition law provisions in the Belgian Code of Economic Law (Chapter IV, Protection of Competition and Chapter V, Competition and Price Evolution). These new provisions are designed to provide for more effective enforcement, which at the same time creates new risks for potential defendants.

Creation of revamped competition authority

More efficient structural basis. To increase the efficiency of the Belgian Competition Authority (Belgische Mededingingsautoriteit / Autorité belge de la concurrence) (the "Authority"), it will now operate as an administrative authority.  Its previous stature as an administrative court resulted in significant delays.

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