EU and Competition Law

EU and Competition law

EU law covers a wide and diverse subject matter affecting many areas of domestic law. This includes such areas as

• commercial agents
• consumers
• free movement of goods, persons, services and capital
• common agricultural policy
• employment
• energy
• environment
• intellectual property
• social policy
• state aids and public procurement
• telecommunications
• transport
• taxation

Competition law is an important part of EU law. Domestic UK competition law is also an increasingly significant area.

Competition law covers such areas as:

• cartels
• distributorship and purchasing agreements
• mergers and acquisitions
• control of monopolies

In addition, work involving public utilities (eg. power, energy, water, telecommunications, the royal mail and the post office) regularly raises questions of both domestic and EU competition law and also EU law more generally.

A number of members of 20 Essex Street specialise in the substantive law of the EU and in UK and EU Competition law. Virtually all members deal with aspects of EU law regularly in their practice. A number have experience of working in the European Court of Justice, at the European Commission and for UK government regulatory authorities.

Our members appear before the:

• Competition Appeal Tribunal
• Competition Commission
• European Commission
• European Court of First Instance
• European Court of Justice

In addition, our members appear regularly before domestic courts and tribunals at all levels to argue questions of EU and competition law.Our members advise and represent Community institutions, Member States, corporations and private individuals. Advice and the conduct of litigation both for and against the OFT and other regulatory bodies also forms a significant part of our work.