Marc Hansen is a partner based in the Brussels and London offices. He focuses on EU and UK competition law and has considerable experience with multijurisdictional cartel investigations and antitrust/IP interface issues, including:
- IP and antitrust interface issues, including technology standard setting
- Multijurisdictional antitrust investigations and litigation involving US, EU, Japanese, Canadian, Australian, and other enforcement authorities
- Compliance counselling with respect to antitrust, corporate fraud, and corruption
- EU State aid
Mr. Hansen has particular experience advising on antitrust and IP interface issues and has advised on disputes involving leading technology standards, including:
- SAE 1234yf refrigerant
- DVD standard and pool
- Bluray standard and pool
- SDMI standard
- Tetra
- 3G UMTS pools
- 4G-LTE and Avanci IOT and automotive applications licensing
- MiFare NFC standard
Mr. Hansen currently advises a complainant and multiple other parties in the EU Commission investigation into refusals to license standard essential patents required to implement wireless communications standards in the connected vehicle and IOT environment (Nokia SEP licensing practices), as well as in the related litigation on these issues in the US and in Germany.
He has also represented clients in several leading IP/antitrust cases including some of the leading pharmaceutical cases, the publishers’ rights cases in the field of online exploitation (CELAS), and the landmark EU antitrust case against CISAC music licensing practices, which led to the first-ever decision condemning horizontal cross-licensing practices among music authors’ societies unlawful under Article 81 EC.
Mr. Hansen has represented clients in numerous cartel investigations and acts as global lead counsel coordinating in major multi-jurisdictional cartel investigations involving US, EU, Japanese, Canadian, Australian, South African, Brazilian, Indian, Chinese, and other enforcement authorities. He has advised clients in the most complex cartel cases of recent years, including:
- Five Automotive Parts cases, including the initial case (Wire Harnesses)
- FOREX
- Lead Recycling
- Industrial Batteries
- Automotive Starter Batteries
- Prestressing Steel
- Professional Video Tapes
- Air Cargo
- Smart Card Semiconductors
- High Voltage Power Cables
Notable successes include advising on the settlement which led the EU Commission to revise its fining policy on acquired subsidiaries (ArcelorMittal 2011, Highly Commended at the 2011 Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards).
Thought Leadership
- Writes and speaks extensively on EU and UK competition law
- Serves as EU appointee on the Non-Governmental Advisor Panel of the intergovernmental International Competition Network (ICN) and has been appointed by the EU Commission as chair or a speaker at ICN proceedings in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018
- Served as Co-Chair of the Horizontal Guidelines, Leniency Incentives, and Access to File Procedures consultative groups at the European Competition Lawyers Forum in 2010, 2011, and 2014 respectively