This half-day conference in Brussels will feature a distinguished group of academic, regulatory and industry leaders in dynamic conversation.
As technology redefines market boundaries and EU policy pivots towards strategic autonomy and global competitiveness, competition enforcement is moving beyond traditional frameworks. Merger control is being re-examined through a broader lens, balancing consumer price protection while supporting the scale necessary to drive European innovation.
In this shifting landscape, IP frameworks have emerged as vital strategic assets. They are no longer just legal protections but critical drivers of autonomy and competitiveness that influence market entry, data access and the long-term contestability of digital ecosystems.
Dr Bowman Heiden of Open Innovation Labs at the University of California, Berkeley, will kick off the event.
Please email events@cornerstone.com with questions.
Diving Into the Currents of Global Antitrust Enforcement Policy
- Reflecting on the journey: Foundations of today’s antitrust enforcement
- Current view: Insights from the Commission
- Future pathways: Roundtable on the future of competition policy
Featured Speakers
- William E. Kovacic, George Washington University School of Law
- Guillaume Loriot, Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP)
- Damien Neven, Geneva Graduate Institute
- Aviv Nevo, University of Pennsylvania
Moderator: Gregor Langus, Cornerstone Research
Evolving Standards in EU Merger Review
This session will explore the practical implementation of the new merger guidelines, including assessments of:
- Developments in the analysis of innovation and dynamic efficiencies in complex merger cases
- Competitive effects in nascent markets
- Challenges in defining relevant markets in the face of rapid technological change
Featured Panellists
- Kyriakos Fountoukakos, Herbert Smith Freehills
- Anne-Claire Hoyng, Prosus Group
- Vilen Lipatov, Cornerstone Research
- Annemiek Wilpshaar, Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP)
Moderator: Andrew Swan, Cornerstone Research
Moving Towards Growth-Oriented IP Copyright Rules
This session will examine how evolving IP rules and AI-driven developments influence competition and merger review, with a focus on:
- The impact of EU copyright rules on competition
- Tradeoffs between innovation and access
- The role of copyrighted datasets and IP portfolios as an asset class in merger review
- IP licensing, vertical foreclosure and the application of FRAND-based remedies in mergers
Featured Panellists
- Kirti Gupta, Cornerstone Research
- Nicolas Petit, Department of Law, European University Institute
- Álvaro Ramos, Qualcomm
- Lauri Rechardt, IFPI
- Ashwin van Rooijen, Clifford Chance
Moderator: Gregor Langus, Cornerstone Research
Cosponsored by Cornerstone Research and the Dynamic Competition Initiative (DCI), this expert forum is also supported by the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley and the Department of Law, European University Institute (EUI).
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