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ARTICLE · 15 MAY 2025

The Belgian Competition Authority Steps Up Its Merger Control And Cartel Enforcement Activities

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The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) is now actively reviewing transactions that fall below Belgian merger notification thresholds...

BelgiumAntitrust/Competition Law
Karel Bourgeois
Karel Bourgeois
Benjamin Geisel
Benjamin Geisel
Nicolas Mfizi
Nicolas Mfizi

What You Need to Know

Key takeaway #1

The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) is now actively reviewing transactions that fall below Belgian merger notification thresholds where it suspects that the transaction may cause significant competitive harm. This approach increases legal uncertainty, and companies should carefully assess the competitive impact of all their transactions, even those that are not notifiable.

Key takeaway #2

Recent BCA decisions have fined companies millions of euros for anticompetitive practices and imposed major changes to the way those companies conduct their business. What's more, there are a substantial number of cases in the pipeline, and no sector is safe from scrutiny. Businesses should conduct careful antitrust audits of their agreements and collaborations with competitors, also as regards any exchange of commercially sensitive information.

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