bpv Hügel Rechtsanwälte

Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber is a partner with bpv Hügel Rechtsanwälte and head of the competition law practice group. She has been practising EC competition law in Vienna and Brussels since 1998. She represents national and international clients in antitrust and merger cases before the Austrian and European competition authorities as well as in proceedings before the European Courts.

She graduated from the University of Salzburg, where she also obtained a degree in journalism and French. She gained profound experience in merger control and antitrust law while working with several antitrust authorities (stage/European Commission, Merger Task Force, legal assistant to the president of the Austrian Cartel Court in Vienna). Following her doctoral theses she worked in the competition department of Linklaters, London and joined Hügel & Partner in 1998.

Recent work includes representation of a company in the steel industry concerning a pending antitrust case before the European Commission; advice to Verbund in connection with the acquisition of a whole portfolio of power plants from E.ON; advice and representation of OTIS/UTC in the first Austrian leniency case (elevator case); advice and representation of Österreichische Volksbanken-AG (ÖVAG) in the action for annulment (before the European Court of Justice) of the EU Commission's decision in the Austrian Banks case (Lombard Club); representation of Telekom Austria with regard to litigation on several market dominance cases before civil court and cartel court; advice and representation of OMV Gas with regard to the inquiries conducted by the European Commission in the energy sector; general legal advice in antitrust matters to OMV, Telekom Austria, EconGas etc.

Dr Ablasser-Neuhuber is a frequent speaker at conferences on competition law. Her publications include Antitrust Law and Trade Regulations - Austrian Section, Matthew Bender & Company; co-author with Loewenheim/ Meessen/ Riesenkampff (Hrsg); European and German Competition Law, CH Beck.