1. Home
  2. |Professionals
  3. |Karel Bourgeois

Karel Bourgeois

Partner
Partner
a2JvdXJnZW9pc0Bjcm93ZWxsLmNvbQ==
VCardLinkedIn
VCardLinkedIn

Areas of Focus

Overview

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.

Career & Education

|

    • University of Antwerp, L.B., magna cum laude, 2000
    • Catholic University of Leuven, M.L., magna cum laude, 2003
    • University of Chicago Law School, LL.M., 2004
    • University of Antwerp, L.B., magna cum laude, 2000
    • Catholic University of Leuven, M.L., magna cum laude, 2003
    • University of Chicago Law School, LL.M., 2004

    • Belgium
    • European Court
    • Belgium
    • European Court

    • Dutch
    • English
    • French
    • German
    • Dutch
    • English
    • French
    • German
Karel Bourgeois is an excellent lawyer and very pleasant to work with. He understands the paramount importance of the matters he advises on. He is very dedicated and frankly proven [to be] the best support when stakes are high. He is smart, inventive, calm, understands office politics and priorities, and gets the job done!

— The Legal 500 EMEA, Competition: EU and Global, 2022

Karel's Insights

Client Alert | 11 min read | 12.03.24

The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation One Year On: An Effective Tool or Just More Red Tape?

Just over a year ago, the notification obligations under the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) became applicable. Since then, M&A transactions and bids for government contracts above certain thresholds must be notified to the European Commission. Pending the Commission’s review, the transaction cannot be completed, or the contract cannot be awarded. What lessons can be learned from the application of the FSR to date? Has the FSR proved to be an effective tool in leveling the playing field, or has its main effect been to burden companies with red tape, at the risk of discouraging investment in Europe?...

View All Insights

Insights

Client Alert | 11 min read | 12.03.24

The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation One Year On: An Effective Tool or Just More Red Tape?

Client Alert | 5 min read | 11.05.24

The EU Court of Justice’s Judgment in Illumina/Grail – Has the Killer of “Killer Acquisitions” Been Disarmed?

Client Alert | 15 min read | 10.15.24

The European Commission’s Draft Guidelines on Exclusionary Abuses: Towards Stricter Enforcement?

Client Alert | 11 min read | 06.20.24

Crowell & Moring and King’s College London 6th Annual Competition Law Conference
|

View All Insights

Practices

Industries

Karel's Insights

Client Alert | 11 min read | 12.03.24

The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation One Year On: An Effective Tool or Just More Red Tape?

Just over a year ago, the notification obligations under the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) became applicable. Since then, M&A transactions and bids for government contracts above certain thresholds must be notified to the European Commission. Pending the Commission’s review, the transaction cannot be completed, or the contract cannot be awarded. What lessons can be learned from the application of the FSR to date? Has the FSR proved to be an effective tool in leveling the playing field, or has its main effect been to burden companies with red tape, at the risk of discouraging investment in Europe?...

View All Insights