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IJE/IBJ Deep Dive - Big Data and Competition Rules: Competition Aspects of Collecting and Using (Big) Data

February 7, 2019 • Brussels, Belgium

Starts: 9:30 AM (CET)
Ends: 1:00 PM (CET)
Site: Crowell & Moring
Address: Rue Joseph Stevens 7, 1000 Brussels, Belgium View Map (view map)

How can you collect and use big data without running into trouble? The collection and commercial use of data is no longer merely a GDPR issue. It also raises questions in terms of competition law rules.

Competition authorities across Europe are increasingly scrutinizing the use of data, as can be seen from recent studies by French, German and Dutch competition watchdogs. In September 2018 the EU Commission opened an investigation into Amazon and its use of data related to transactions with online retailers using Amazon’s e-commerce platform (Amazon Marketplace). Likewise, the German competition authority is currently investigating some of Facebook’s practices.

In this Deep Dive, we will run through the entire life cycle of a big data set and examine it from a competition law angle. We will cover among others the following subjects:
  • The application of competition law rules to the collection and exchange of data (including the collection and exchange of so-called “competitive intelligence” on pricing, products and competitors’ clients).
  • The interplay between privacy rules and competition law.
  • Big data as a source of market power.
  • Are existing competition law instruments adequate to analyse “free” services that are in fact “paid for” by users’ provision of their data?
Agenda
9:30 – 10:00 Welcome (breakfast pastries)
10:00 – 10:50 Competition law analysis regarding the collection and exchange of data
10:50 – 11:05 Coffee break
11:05 – 12:00 Issues concerning the use of and access to big data
12:00  1:00 Lunch

Contact: Caroline Bogaert (CBogaert@crowell.com)

Crowell & Moring Participant(s):
Thomas De Meese
Partner – Brussels
Phone: +32.2.282.1842
Email: tdemeese@crowell.com
Karl Stas
Senior Counsel – Brussels
Phone: +32.2.214.2888
Email: kstas@crowell.com
Marieke Van Nieuwenborgh
Counsel – Brussels
Phone: +32.2.282.4083
Email: mvannieuwenborgh@crowell.com