Regulated markets & industries include those sectors of the economy that, for many years, have been considered natural monopolies. More precisely, it concerns the large network services, such as public transport, telecommunications, energy, water and postal services.
These markets and industries have evolved through a process of gradual liberalisation, mainly under the impulse of European legislation. These rules generally relate to internal market, competition and public procurement issues.
Although they are at different stages of the liberalisation process, all of these sectors are often confronted with similar problems. One of the main difficulties involves management of the infrastructure by public and private actors and the effective unbundling of infrastructure and services. Other typical issues of network industries concern the operation of related services and the organisation of technical interoperability and cross-border cooperation.
& DE BANDT has extensive experience in tackling all legal and regulatory questions relating to regulated markets and industries. We regularly assist domestic and international operators seeking to strengthen their position in the market, both by means of strategic advice or through litigation before the courts. Our team also has wide-ranging knowledge of the operation of the energy and transport markets and regularly assists public authorities and private operators in these areas.
