Thought Leaders

Dirk Arts is a partner in Allen & Overy LLP’s Brussels office and leads the EU and Belgian competition law practice. He represents clients in cartel investigations conducted by both the European Commission (EC) and the Belgian competition authority as well as on multi-jurisdictional, EU and Belgian merger control cases. He advises multinational and Belgian clients in administrative and judicial procedures, both before European and national authorities and courts.

Dirk has particular experience in the energy, media, chemical, retail and automobile sectors.

Recent EU cases include advising Engie Electrabel in litigation before the European Court of Justice relating to the nuclear industry in Belgium and Scania in the EC’s trucks cartel investigation and in Scania’s appeal of the EC’s decision to the General Court.

Before joining the firm, Dirk worked as an assistant at the Institute for European Law at Leuven University. From 1994–1997, he was a law clerk at the General Court in Luxembourg. He currently teaches judicial protection in the European Union at the Free University of Brussels and also occasionally teaches at the College of Europe.

Dirk is recognised for his expertise in both EU and national competition law. Chambers Europe (2018) notes that he is “highly esteemed for his merger control and cartel practice” and that “clients praise him as ‘a very experienced antitrust lawyer who handles the most stressful situations with a calm and practical approach'".

Allen & Overy's antitrust and competition practice comprises over 120 specialists operating across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. The practice advises corporate clients and financial institutions on their global antitrust policies, litigation and regulatory strategies and has acted on some of the highest-profile and most complex cases in recent years.