EU MERGER REGULATION 139/2004: 20 YEARS THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE (European Commission, DG Competition. The Square. The Square, Brussels, 18 april 2024)

To mark the twentieth anniversary of the EU Merger Regulation (Regulation 139/2004), DG COMPETITION have organized a conference that will bring together leading experts to discuss and reflect on the impact of EU merger control over the last decades.

The event is a full-day conference with keynote speeches, panels and a fireside chat, involving contributors from DG Competition, National Competition Authorities, judges, competition enforcement practitioners, in-house counsels and academics on a wide range of topics related to the main theme.

While companies combining forces and creating mergers or joint ventures can expand markets and bring benefits to the economy, some combinations may reduce competition. The objective of examining proposed mergers is to prevent harmful effects on competition. The EU Merger Regulation (Regulation 139/2004), which turns 20 this year, is the Commission's legal basis for reviewing mergers and determining their compatibility with the Single Market.

<b>Link to the video:</b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-blncVclzLk&t=115s"&gt; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-blncVclzLk&t=115s</a&gt;

<b>AGENDA</b>

<li>Keynote speech. Executive Vice-president Margrethe Vestager, Commissioner for Competition</li>

<li>Fireside chat. The reform of EU merger control: a crisis turned into an opportunity</li>.<br> Moderator. Olivier Guersent, Director General of DG Competition<br> Speakers. Mario Monti, Former Commissioner for Competition (1999-2004). Sir Philip Lowe, Former Director General of DG Competition (2002-2010)<br>

<li>Panel 1. Looking back on 20 years of applying the EUMR framework</li><br> Moderator. Lewis Crofts, editor in chief, MLex<br> Speakers. Juliane Kokott, Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union. Natalie Harsdorf-Borsch, Head of Australian National Competition Authority (BWB). Carles Esteva Mosso, Partner, Latham & Watkins, Former Deputy Director General for mergers of DG Competition (2014-2019)<br>

<li>Panel 2. EUMR in the face of Industry Consolidation and Increased Market Concentration Levels: a legal instrument adapting to ever-changing market evolutions.</li><br> Foreword. Daniel Calisti, Head of Unit, DG Competition<br> Moderator. Maria Tadeo, Europe Correspondent<br> Speakers. Tomaso Duso, Professor of economics, TU Berlin. Saar Dierckens, Senior Counsel Competition, Siemens. Vanessa Turner, Senior Advisor, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)<br>

<li>Panel 3. EUMR in the face of Foresight, Potential Competition, Innovation: a toolbox capturing the dynamic effects of mergers</li><br> Foreword. Ulla Schwager, Head of Unit, DG Competition<br> Moderator. Javier Espinoza, EU Correspondent, Financial Times<br> Speakers. Massimo Motta, Research Professor at ICREA-University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Former Chief Economist of DG Competition. Ana Sofia Rodrigues, Executive Board Member, Portuguese Competition Authority. Frederic Depoortere, Partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. <br>

<li>Panel 4. EUMR in the face of Conglomerates and Ecosystems: a framework to assess complex and multifaceted effects of mergers on competition.</li><br> Foreword. Annemiek Wilpshaar, Head of Unit, DG Competition<br> Moderator. Aoife White, Technology and competition editor, Politico<br> Speakers. Viktoria Robertson, Professor of Law, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien. Jenine Hulsmann, Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Hans Zenger, Head of Unit, Chief Economist Team, DG Competition<br>

<li>Closing remarks</li><br> Guillaume Loriot, Deputy Director General for mergers of DG Competition<br>