Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 21 MAY 2025

Brussels Regulatory Brief: April 2025

K&L Gates
K&L Gates
Contributor
K&L Gates

K&L Gates

The Firm K&L Gates is an integrated, international law firm. As a single global law firm, truly...

View firm profile
Explore more from K&L Gates

On 1 April 2024, both the European Commission (the Commission) and the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) fined major car manufacturers and trade associations for participating in a 15-year long cartel concerning end-of-life vehicle recycling.

BelgiumAntitrust/Competition Law
Francesco Carloni
Francesco Carloni
Mélanie Bruneau
Mélanie Bruneau
Nikolaos Peristerakis
Nikolaos Peristerakis
Giovanni Campi
Giovanni Campi
Michael Hofmann Dr.
Michael Hofmann Dr.
Antoine De Rohan Chabot
Antoine De Rohan Chabot
Petr Bartoš
Petr Bartoš
Sara Rayon Gonzalez
Sara Rayon Gonzalez
Simas Gerdvila
Simas Gerdvila
+2 more

Antitrust and Competition

European and UK Antitrust Enforcers Impose Fines Over End-of-Life Vehicles Recycling Cartel

On 1 April 2024, both the European Commission (the Commission) and the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) fined major car manufacturers and trade associations for participating in a 15-year long cartel concerning end-of-life vehicle recycling. The Commission's and CMA's decisions highlight the authorities' interest in pursuing novel theories of harm that may have an adverse impact on the green transition.

Financial Affairs

EU Institutions Finalize Omnibus I; EFRAG adopts Work Plan to Simplify ESRS

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union finalized the legislative procedure for Omnibus I, while the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) adopted the work plan detailing next steps for European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) simplification.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Must Meta Open WhatsApp To Competing AI Assistants?

The European Commission has imposed interim measures requiring Meta to restore third-party AI assistant access to WhatsApp's Business API, marking a significant enforcement action under Article 102 TFEU. This decision addresses Meta's alleged abuse of dominant position by excluding competing AI assistants while maintaining access only for its own Meta AI. The case raises critical questions about competition enforcement in emerging digital markets and whether early foreclosure effects can irreversibly streng
BelgiumAntitrust/Competition Law
Steptoe LLP
Steptoe LLP
Article

EU Article 102 Guidelines What Businesses Need To Know Now

The European Commission has adopted its first comprehensive Guidelines on exclusionary abuses of dominance under Article 102 TFEU, marking a significant evolution in EU competition law enforcement. Following a three-year consultation process, these Guidelines codify evolving case law while addressing concerns about enforcement thresholds and introducing notable changes including the reintroduction of a 40% market share benchmark, refined evidentiary presumptions, and expanded guidance on digital markets and
European UnionAntitrust/Competition Law
McDermott Will & Schulte
McDermott Will & Schulte
Article

EU General Court Upholds The Prohibition Of Booking/eTraveli

The EU General Court's landmark judgment in Booking Holdings v Commission marks a pivotal shift in merger control enforcement, validating the European Commission's authority to block conglomerate mergers based on ecosystem strengthening and market contestability concerns. This decision establishes that even marginal market share increases in adjacent markets can justify prohibition when they entrench dominance and reduce competitive dynamics.
European UnionAntitrust/Competition Law
WilmerHale
WilmerHale
Article

EU General Court Upholds First-Ever “Ecosystem” Merger Prohibition

The EU General Court has upheld the European Commission's prohibition of Booking's acquisition of Etraveli, marking the first judicial endorsement of an "ecosystem" theory of harm in merger control. This landmark ruling validates the EC's use of reverse leveraging and entrenchment theories, establishing that dominant firms can be blocked from acquiring assets in adjacent markets even where they lack dominance in the target's market. The decision has far-reaching implications for digital platform acquisition
European UnionAntitrust/Competition Law
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

European Commission Opens First Formal Antitrust Investigation In The Medical Devices Sector

The European Commission has launched its first formal antitrust investigation in the medical devices sector, examining whether Align Technology may have abused its dominant position by restricting interoperability between its Invisalign clear aligners and competing intra-oral scanners. The investigation focuses on allegations that the company created a closed ecosystem, forcing dental professionals to purchase iTero scanners to access Invisalign products for their patients.
European UnionAntitrust/Competition Law
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

European Commission – Statement Of Objections Issued In Construction Chemicals Cartel Investigation

The European Commission has issued Statements of Objections to construction chemicals manufacturers in France, Germany and Spain, along with three national trade associations, over suspected price coordination. The preliminary assessment suggests manufacturers coordinated future price increases for chemical additives and admixtures between 2021 and 2022 in response to rising raw material costs following the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war against Ukraine.
GlobalAntitrust/Competition Law
NAZALI Attorney Partnership
NAZALI Attorney Partnership
Article

California Expands Sales And Use Tax To SaaS And Certain Digital Products Starting 1 January 2027

California is implementing a major tax policy shift that will subject software-as-a-service, remotely accessed software, and digital products to sales and use tax beginning January 1, 2027. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration has proposed emergency regulations establishing sourcing rules, a $5 million threshold that shifts tax liability from retailers to purchasers, and key exemptions for custom software and certain service-based digital products.
United StatesTax
K&L Gates
K&L Gates
Article

Text-Message Marketing In Texas, One Year After SB 140

Texas Senate Bill 140 (SB 140) took effect 1 September 2025, and applies to conduct occurring on or after that date. The bill amended Section 302 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code to extend registration and disclosure requirements to text messages by expanding the definition of “Telephone solicitation,” which previously applied only to a “telephone call,” to include certain transmissions of text or graphic messages and images. In addition, SB 140 added a definition of “Telephone call” that incorporates the definition found in Section 304, which includes certain text or graphic messages and images, but excludes certain agreed-to transmissions.
United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
K&L Gates
K&L Gates
Article

China’s A-Share Market Expands Closing-Price Trading: Implications For Funds And Institutional Investors

China's stock exchanges have implemented three major trading rule changes effective July 6, 2026, designed to enhance market quality and align practices with international standards. The reforms expand after-hours trading, modify public fund pricing mechanisms, and adjust price limits for risk-warning stocks. How will these structural changes impact institutional investors, ETF efficiency, and overall market participation in China's evolving capital markets?
ChinaFinance and Banking
K&L Gates
K&L Gates
Article

SEC And CFTC Open Door To Tokenized Markets After Clarity Fails To Advance

The SEC and CFTC have issued coordinated regulatory relief measures that significantly advance crypto-based trading infrastructure in US markets, bypassing Congressional gridlock on the CLARITY Act. These orders establish new frameworks for tokenized securities venues and passive software providers, potentially reshaping how digital assets are traded and accessed in regulated markets.
United StatesFinance and Banking
K&L Gates
K&L Gates
Article

Venezuela's Reopening: Investment, Infrastructure, And Technology Opportunities In A Rebuilding Latin America

Venezuela's post-Maduro reopening is creating unprecedented opportunities for foreign investors across energy, mining, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors. With expanding OFAC sanctions relief, landmark legislative reforms, and major US companies nearing multibillion-dollar deals, the country presents investment prospects not seen in a generation—though success requires disciplined navigation of corruption, security, and regulatory risks.
United StatesInternational Law
K&L Gates
K&L Gates
Article

EU AI Act: Final Guidelines On Transparency Obligations Under Article 50

The European Commission has issued guidelines on transparency obligations under Article 50 of the EU AI Act, clarifying how providers and deployers must inform individuals when they interact with AI systems or are exposed to AI-generated content. These non-binding guidelines address a wide range of AI applications, from chatbots to deepfake technologies, and establish four main transparency scenarios with specific disclosure requirements that businesses must now prepare to implement.
European UnionGovernment, Public Sector
K&L Gates
K&L Gates