Mayer Brown has hired Robert Klotz as a partner in the firm’s Brussels competition practice.

Settling behavioural cases is an important part of freeing up agency resources, but authorities must be careful deterrence doesn't slip in the process, according to a panel at the 11th annual International Competition Network conference yesterday. Clare Bolton in Rio de Janeiro.

EU Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia has condemned companies’ use of patents to increase their market power and vowed to take steps to ensure markets remain competitive.

Matthew O’Regan has joined Burges Salmon as a partner in its UK antitrust practice, transferring from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Brussels.

Belgium’s Competition Council has adopted new guidelines that explain how it calculates fines to punish competition law infringements.

Hogan Lovells has announced three promotions in its Brussels, London and Washington, DC antitrust practices.

Belgium’s Competition Council has announced today it will allow telecoms incumbent Belgacom to purchase mobile phone shop The Phone House with conditions.

The European Commission could use more of its powers to combat antitrust infringements in the high tech sectors, says Stephen Kinsella OBE.

Concentration among banks is not the main hindrance to effective competition in the UK banking sector, says a former Office of Fair Trading (OFT) official. Faaez Samadi in Brussels

Companies submitting merger notifications must be transparent when providing evidence to maintain a cooperative relationship with the European Commission, acording to Miguel de la Mano. Faaez Samadi in Brussels

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has promoted Hein Hobbelen and Till Steinvorth to counsel in the firm’s Brussels and Düsseldorf competition practices. They will begin in their new roles on 1 November.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP has added four competition specialists to its Brussels office, in a bid to secure its position among the leading firms with Spanish expertise in Brussels.

Pharmaceutical competition lawyers need clarity on where the European Commission stands regarding the “grey area” of in-house legal privilege, delegates heard. Faaez Samadi in Brussels

Patent settlements in the pharmaceutical sector are on the rise, despite increased competition enforcement on both sides of the Atlantic. Faaez Samadi in Brussels

Enforcement fines are not the only way to stop originator pharmaceutical companies from extending the lifecycle of their patented products, says a leading UK official. Faaez Samadi in Brussels