#323 What’s Happening in the EU? A Conversation With DG COMP Director-General Olivier Guersent at the 2025 Antitrust Spring Meeting

The UK's consumer protection regime changed early in 2025. How will behavioural economics be used by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in applying the rules? Stefan Hunt, partner at Keystone Strategy in London, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall to discuss previous consumer protection cases investigated by the CMA and the new regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Listen to this episode to learn more about the application of behavioural economics to consumer protection enforcement and how companies should prepare. With special guest: Stefan Hunt, Partner, Keystone Strategy Related Links: Keystone, "The UK’s New Consumer Enforcement Regime: What evidence and analysis will be used by the CMA and how firms can respond" Keystone, "The Value of Behavioural Economics in Competition Litigation – Reflections Following Le Patourel vs BT", 10 April 2025 UK CMA speech, "The CMA's approach to the new consumer enforcement regime", 30 April 2025 UK CMA guidance, "The CMA’s approach to consumer protection", April 2025 UK CMA guidance, "Unfair commercial practices: Guidance on the protection from unfair trading provisions in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024", April 2025 Hosted by: Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

State legislatures around United States have passed or are on track to pass legislation that requires parties to submit notice to the state attorney general or other state authority when certain transactions result in a material change in ownership. Why are states passing these laws and how are they affecting regulatory review of transactions? Axinn partner Lisl Dunlop joins hosts Alicia Downey and Rubin Waranch to discuss the expansion of state "mini-HSR laws" in detail. Listen to this episode to learn more about the ins and outs of the notice requirements and their interaction with the U.S. federal merger control regime. With special guest: Lisl Dunlop, Partner, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP Related Links: Uniform Law Commission, Uniform Antitrust Pre-Merger Notification Act Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Rubin Waranch, Cooley LLP

While on site at the 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section, the Our Curious Amalgam team recorded interviews with senior competition agency enforcers from all over the world, including Paraguay and Costa Rica. In the first segment of this episode, Alicia Downey interviews Commissioner Eduardo Barros of Paraguay's National Competition Commission (CONACOM). Following that, Matthew Reynolds speaks with Viviana Blanco Barboza, the president of the Costa Rica Commission for the Promotion of Competition (COPROCOM). Listen to this episode to hear what’s been happening in their respective agencies and what makes them happy outside of competition law. With special guests: Eduardo Barros, Commissioner, Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (CONACOM) and Viviana Blanco Barboza, President, Comisión para Promover la Competencia (COPROCOM) Related Links: National Competition Commission of Paraguay Commission for the Promotion of Competition of Costa Rica Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP

While on site at the 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section, the Our Curious Amalgam team recorded interviews with senior competition agency enforcers from all over the world. In the first segment of this episode, Anora Wang speaks with Ellie Siu, Senior Legal Counsel of the Competition Commission of Hong Kong. Next Matthew Hall interviews Michael Aguinaldo, the Chairperson of the Philippine Competition Commission. And finally, Anora Wang checks in with Commissioner Reiko Aoki of the Japan Fair Trade Commission. You’ll hear what’s been happening in their respective agencies as well as a little bit about what makes them happy outside of competition law. With special guests: Ellie Siu, Senior Legal Counsel, Hong Kong Competition Commission, Michael Aguinaldo, Chairperson, Philippine Competition Commission, and Reiko Aoki, Commissioner, Japan Fair Trade Commission Related Links: Hong Kong Competition Commission Philippine Competition Commission Japan Fair Trade Commission Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC, Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

Merger control and antitrust enforcement continues to develop rapidly in Africa. What is happening in the key jurisdictions of Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria and COMESA? John Oxenham, lawyer at Primerio, and Nicolas Bremer, lawyer at Bremer, join Matthew Hall to discuss developments. Listen to this episode to learn more about the status of African antitrust and merger control enforcement generally and these jurisdictions specifically. With special guests: John Oxenham, partner, Primerio and Nicolas Bremer, partner, Bremer Related Links: COMESA Competition Commission website ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority website Egyptian Competition Authority website The Competition Commission website (South Africa) Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission website (Nigeria) Hosted by: Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

While on site at the 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section, the Our Curious Amalgam team recorded interviews with senior competition agency enforcers from all over the world, including Germany and Portugal. In the first segment of this episode, James Hunsberger interviews Andreas Mundt, the President of Germany's Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) and Chair of the Steering Group of the International Competition Network (ICN). Next, Jeny Maier's speaks with Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, the President of the Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC). Listen to this episode to hear what’s been happening in their respective agencies and what makes them happy outside of competition law. With special guests: Andreas Mundt, President, Bundeskartellamt and Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President, Autoridade da Concorrência Related Links: Federal Cartel Office of Germany (Bundeskartellamt) International Competition Network Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC, James Hunsberger, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, and Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

While on site at the 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section, the Our Curious Amalgam team recorded interviews with senior competition agency enforcers from all over the world, including Italy and Greece. In the first segment of this episode, Jaclyn Phillips interviews Saverio Valentino, Board Member of the Italian Competition Authority. Following that is the conversation between Panos Dimitrellos and Hara Nikolopoulou, Vice President of the Hellenic Competition Commission. Listen to this episode to hear what’s been happening in their respective agencies, and what makes them happy outside of competition law. With special guests: Saverio Valentino, Board Member, Italian Competition Authority and Hara Nikolopoulou, Vice President, Hellenic Competition Commission Related Links: Italian Competition Authority Hellenic Competition Commission Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC, Jaclyn Phillips, White & Case LLP, and Panos Dimitrellos, Secretariat Economists LLC

While on site at the Antitrust Law Section's 2025 Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., Section Chair-Elect Renata Hesse interviewed Mario Monti, former prime minister of Italy (2011-2013), and European commissioner for competition (1999-2004). What does he think about the current state of international competition enforcement? What direction does he think the U.S. and Europe should take to improve their working relationship? Listen to this episode for a wide-ranging discussion about the past, present, and future of international cooperation in a geopolitically volatile era. With special guest: Mario Monti, Former Prime Minister of Italy (2011-2013) Related Links: The Trilateral Commission homepage Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC

Sustainability claims are everywhere in the fashion industry — but how can consumers tell what’s real and what’s greenwashing? Baker McKenzie attorneys David Baay and Katia Boneva-Desmicht join Jeny Maier and Puja Patel to discuss civil litigation in this space, as well as government enforcement efforts on both sides of the Atlantic, from the FTC’s Green Guides review to the European Commission’s Green Claims Directive. Listen to this episode to learn how fashion brands are navigating increasing legal scrutiny around environmental marketing. With special guests: David Baay, Partner, Baker McKenzie and Katia Boneva-Desmicht, Partner, Baker McKenzie Hosted by: Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP and Puja Patel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

The 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section offered the Our Curious Amalgam team a chance to speak with competition law enforcers from around the world. In this episode, host Matthew Hall asks Olivier Guersent, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission (DG COMP), about what’s been happening in the European Union since we interviewed him at the 2024 Spring Meeting. Listen and learn about DG COMP’s current and recent work and what competition law policy and enforcement trends the Director-General sees on the horizon. With special guest: Olivier Guersent, Director-General, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission Related Links: European Commission DG COMP website 2024 Spring Meeting interview with Olivier Guersent 2023 Spring Meeting interview with Olivier Guersent 2022 Spring Meeting interview with Olivier Guersent Hosted by: Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP