Clients turn to Karel Bourgeois to manage their competition risks, and they value his pragmatic approach and commercial understanding. Karel’s practice focuses on EU and Belgian competition law, foreign direct investment screening, and the regulation of state aid and subsidies.
Karel steers clients through merger control, cartel, and abuse proceedings before the European Commission, the Belgian Competition Authority, and other global regulators. Clients also seek his advice on how to realize their projects in compliance with antitrust and competition law.
With his extensive knowledge of state aid, Karel helps clients navigate state aid proceedings before the EC and advises them on strategic state aid and foreign subsidies issues. He regularly represents clients in national and EU courts in competition and state aid cases.
Karel represents clients in a range of industries, with significant experience in the telecommunications, media, energy, and health care sectors.
Karel is a regular speaker at competition law conferences and is the author of the standard book on Belgian merger control.
Speeches & Presentations
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"Foreign Direct Investment Screening in Belgium—What to Expect?" Crowell & Moring Webinar, 2022.
(October 18, 2022).
Speakers: Karel Bourgeois and Karl Stas.
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"Revision of Horizontal Block Exemption Regulations and the Horizontal Cooperation Guidelines," Crowell & Moring Webinar, 2022.
(June 9, 2022).
Speakers: Thomas De Meese, Karel Bourgeois, and Karl Stas.
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"Perspectives from the Belgian Competition Authority," Crowell & Moring Webinar, 2022.
(March 23, 2022).
Moderators: Thomas De Meese and Karel Bourgeois.
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"Competition Law in Times of Price Increases and Supply Shortages," Crowell & Moring Webinar.
(December 7, 2021).
Speakers: Karel Bourgeois and Karl Stas.
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"Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) from a European Perspective," Webinar in collaboration with IBJ/IJE
(September 8, 2021).
Speakers: Karel Bourgeois and Judith Bussé.
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"State Aid in Times of Recovery and transition: What You Need to Know," Webinar in collaboration with IJE/IBJ, Brussels, Belgium
(March 9, 2021).
Presenters: Karel Bourgeois and Marieke Van Nieuwenborgh.
Publications
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"Concentratiecontrole in België," Intersentia
(December 6, 2022).
Author: Karel Bourgeois.
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"The European Commission Updates Rules for Cooperation Between Competitors," IBJ/IJE Partner Blog
(September 9, 2022).
Authors: Karl Stas and Karel Bourgeois.
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"Algoritmische Prijsbepalingen en Artificiële Intelligentie: mededingingsrechtelijke aspecten," Artificiële Intelligentie door de ogen van de Bedrijfsjurist
(April 2022).
Authors: Karel Bourgeois and Karl Stas.
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"Misbruik van economische afhankelijkheid – eerste toepassingen," IBJ/IJE Partner Blog
(January 24, 2022).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois and Karl Stas.
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"Examining EU's Drift Toward US-Style Employer Pact Scrutiny," Law360
(November 15, 2021).
Authors: Peter Broadhurst, Karel Bourgeois, and Stefan M. Meisner.
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"ESG: an introduction to the European framework and recent initiatives in Belgium," IBJ / IJE blog article
(September 9, 2021).
Authors: Karel Bourgeois and Judith Bussé.
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"EU State Aids," 6th edition, Sweet & Maxwell
(April 23, 2021).
Contributor to the chapters on “State aid for Energy and Environmental Protection” and “Rescue and Restructuring Aid”: Karel Bourgeois.
Client Alerts & Newsletters
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"European Commission Prolongs and Expands State Aid Temporary Crisis Framework,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(December 1, 2022).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois, Flavie Van Maldegem
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"EU Institutions Reach Agreement on Foreign Subsidies Regulation,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(July 20, 2022).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois, Vassilis Akritidis, Karl Stas, Flavie Van Maldegem
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"Belgium to Introduce Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regime by 2023,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(June 22, 2022).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois, Karl Stas, Julie van Hevele
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"EU Competition Authorities Respond to Ukraine Crisis: More Flexibility for State Aid and Cooperation Among Companies,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(March 30, 2022).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois, Flavie Van Maldegem
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"Belgian Competition Act Amended to Introduce Merger Filing Fees, Fines for Failure to Notify and Procedural Changes,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(March 14, 2022).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois, Karl Stas, Flavie Van Maldegem
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"Change is Coming: Current and Proposed Institutional Reform in Competition Law and The Path Forward,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(July 21, 2021).
Contacts: Marieke Van Nieuwenborgh, Julie van Hevele, Peter Broadhurst, Karel Bourgeois
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"New UK subsidy control regime designed to provide quicker and more flexible support to UK businesses,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(July 6, 2021).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois, Peter Broadhurst
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"European Commission Proposal on Foreign Subsidies: Towards a Globalization of EU State Aid Control?,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(May 18, 2021).
Contacts: Vassilis Akritidis, Karel Bourgeois, Karl Stas
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"Illumina/Grail – FTC’s First Vertical Merger Challenge in Decades,"
Administrative Law Alert
(April 5, 2021).
Contacts: Connor Ahearn, Alexis J. Gilman, Karel Bourgeois, Olivier N. Antoine, Juan A. Arteaga, Rosa M. Morales
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"State Aid in Times of COVID-19: European Commission Prolongs and Expands Temporary COVID-19 State Aid Framework,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(February 2, 2021).
Contacts: Karel Bourgeois, Marieke Van Nieuwenborgh
Press Coverage
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'Companies Are Increasingly Apprehensive About Competition Authority'
January 19, 2023 — Trends
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Google Shopping Win “Vindicates” EU’s Digital Focus, Lawyers Say
November 10, 2021 — Global Competition Review
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EU To Conduct Retrospective Merger Study
June 24, 2021 — Global Competition Review
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Crowell & Moring Chair Seeks Strategic Growth After ‘Good Year’
February 8, 2021 — Bloomberg Law
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'Scharniermoment voor het mededingingsbeleid'
January 21, 2021 — Trends
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New Competition Partner For Crowell
January 7, 2021 — Commercial Dispute Resolution
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Crowell & Moring Expands Brussels Office With A&O Hire
January 5, 2021 — Law.com International
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Crowell & Moring Adds Partner In Brussels
January 5, 2021 — Global Competition Review
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Leading Antitrust Lawyer Karel Bourgeois Joins Crowell & Moring In Brussels
January 5, 2021 — LexGo.be
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Antitrust Pro Joins Crowell & Moring In Brussels
January 5, 2021 — Competition Policy International
Firm News & Announcements