Keeping Fair Competition in the Life Sciences Market in Times of Covid-19 and Brexit

• Jurisdiction: European Union
• Year: 2021
• Author: Domien Op de Beeck and Baptist Vleeshouwers

Speaker

Domien Op de Beeck is a Brussels-based lawyer and a partner at Bird & Bird LLP. Domien advises clients in different areas of IP, with a particular focus on patent, trade secret and design laws and practice. He assists companies operating a range of sectors, including the life sciences and healthcare sector. He helps clients in clearing a path to market, negotiating tech-rich licensing, ownership and collaboration agreements, and assists in their trade secrets compliance. Domien makes a regular appearance in court and before the EPO and that EUIPO).

He recently was appointed a board member of AIPPI Belgium and is active in a series of other professional IP associations. Bird & Bird LLP is an international leading law firm in business sectors where technology plays a key role. We support innovation. With over 1,300 lawyers in 29 offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and North America, we are ready to help clients wherever they are in the world.

Topic

This electronic presentation delves into the comprehensive and adaptable antitrust and State aid strategies implemented by the European Commission as a responsive approach to the challenges precipitated by the global Covid-19 pandemic. The presentation aims to provide a detailed exploration of these multifaceted measures that have been put in place to address the unprecedented circumstances brought about by the pandemic.

The first focal point of this presentation is the flexible antitrust measures introduced by the European Commission. These measures were strategically designed to strike a balance between ensuring fair competition and allowing for collaborative efforts among businesses to tackle the unique challenges posed by the pandemic.

Another essential aspect covered in this presentation is the implementation of State aid measures. Recognizing the severe economic disruptions caused by the pandemic, the European Commission swiftly adapted its State aid framework to enable member states to provide financial support to struggling industries and businesses. These measures were not only intended to stabilize economies but also to foster resilience and promote a sustainable...