Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Enel Energia in a proceeding concerning an alleged abuse of dominant position consisting in having adopted an exclusionary strategy to shift Enel Group’s customer base from the group company active in the protected market (Servizio Elettrico Nazionale) to the group company active in the free market (Enel Energia).
  
• Assisted several companies (Moncler S.P.A., TOD’S S.p.A., Loro Piana S.p.A., Max Mara S.r.l., Herno S.p.A., Prada S.p.A., Liu Jo S.p.A.) active in the luxury industry to ensure an efficient management of their distribution systems in full compliance with the specific conditions and limitations imposed by antitrust law.
  
• Assisted Enel X Way Italia S.r.l. and Enel X Way S.r.l. before the Italian Competition Authority in relation to proceedings opened for an alleged abuse of dominant position.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted two companies belonging to the Expedia Group with respect to the EU Court of Justice proceedings (case C-663/22 – Expedia v. AGCom; case C-666/22 – EGVR v. AGCom) stemming, as preliminary ruling proceedings, from two different appeals proceedings brought before the Italian administrative courts (T.A.R. Latium) against various Italian law provisions and all the administrative measures issued by the Italian Communications Authority in alleged implementation of the EU Regulation No. 1150/2019 (so-called P2B Regulation).
  
• Advised Airbnb Ireland in the litigation pending before Consiglio di Stato and the Court of Justice of the EU concerning the compatibility with EU law of the obligations imposed in Italy on on-line platforms with respect to the collection and remittance of the flat tax due on short-term rentals.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Servizio Elettrico Nazionale (SEN) in an appeal pending before the TAR Lazio for the annulment of a decision of the Italian Competition Authority (“ICA”) concerning an abuse of dominant position in the retail market for electricity.
  
• Represented longstanding client SNAM on all antitrust and regulatory aspects related to the acquisition of a 49.9% stake (directly and indirectly owned) in certain companies operating two gas pipelines connecting Algeria to Italy from Eni. In particular, the perimeter of the transaction includes the onshore gas pipelines running from the Algeria and Tunisia borders to the Tunisia coast (TTPC), and the offshore gas pipelines connecting the Tunisian coast to Italy (TMPC).
  
• Represented Google in numerous mandates, including: (1) Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, and Google Italy S.r.l. in the appeal before the Council of State against a TAR Lazio’s judgment rejecting the application for annulment of the decision of April 27, 2020 by which the Italian Competition Authority (“ICA”) imposed a fine of € 102,084,433.91 on Google for having allegedly refused, without objective justification, to supply ENEL X’s JuicePass service with access to Google’s smartphone projection app, called Android Auto. (2) Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited, and Google Italy S.r.l. in connection with an investigation initiated by the Italian Competition Authority (“ICA”) on July 5, 2022, following a complaint by Hoda.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted ITA, Italy’s public-owned airline, in the antitrust notification (i) to the European Commission and (ii) to the other relevant competition authorities outside the EU/EEA/EFTA, as well as (iii) in the FDI filing to the Italian Prime Minister’s office, related to the sale to Lufthansa of a stake in the airline.
  
• Assisted ENI in the antitrust notification to the European Commission (Case M.10619 – SNAM / ENI / JV related) related to the sale to Snam S.p.A. of a 49.9% stake (directly and indirectly owned) in certain companies operating two groups of international gas pipelines connecting Algeria to Italy. In particular, the perimeter of the transaction includes the onshore gas pipelines running from the Algerian and Tunisian borders to the Tunisian coast (TTPC), and the offshore gas pipelines connecting the Tunisian coast to Italy (TMPC).
  
• Assisted Bancomat in the submission of an antitrust complaint before the Italian Competition Authority against Mastercard Europe SA (“Mastercard”) which led to an abuse of dominance investigation (Case A458). The case was closed with commitments by Mastercard aimed at addressing the competitive concerns raised by Bancomat and shared by the ICA; ICA proceedings against Bancomat related to the alleged anticompetitive effects of the proposed replacement of the remuneration system for cash withdrawals at ATMs, from the current Multilateral Interchange Fee (MIF) scheme to a Direct Access Fee (DAF) scheme (Case I849), concluded with a prohibition decision with no fine, an outcome that we are currently challenging in Court.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Provided legal assistance to Mediolanum Farmaceutici in relation to merger control notification to the European Commission for the acquisition of joint control with Ardian and NB Renaissance over the Company Neopharmed Gentili, active in the pharma sector.
  
• Provided legal assistance to Novamont S.p.A. in relation to all the antitrust matters and in particular merger control legal issues connected with the transaction that led Versalis, Italian company specialised in petrochemicals from renewable sources and owned by Eni group, to acquire the entire stake of our client (Novamont S.p.A.) by acquiring the remaining 36% shares from Mater-Bi S.p.A.
  
• Providing legal assistance to Curium Italy S.r.l. in the proceedings opened by the Italian antitrust authority for alleged bid rigging in the context of tenders by public and private hospitals.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted IMG Worldwide LLC and IMG Media Limited before the Civil Court of Milan in damages follow-on action filed by three football teams following a decision by the Italian Competition Authority concerning an alleged anticompetitive horizontal agreement in the context of tenders issued by the Italian Soccer League for the awarding of international broadcasting rights (Italy excluded) for Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana.
  
• Assisted Mytaxi (now Free Now) in two appeals before the Council of State, in relation to very important competition cases related to the taxi markets in Rome. Then successfully assisted the clients before the Court of Cassation, following the appeal submitted by the Rome radio taxis. After the counter-appeal, in April 2022 the Rome Radio-taxi realised the weakness of their appeal and withdrew their appeal.
  
• Assisted Cassina S.p.A. in the revision and implementation of a selective distribution system within the European Economic Area.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Successfully assisted Vodafone as defendant in a multi-million antitrust action for damage brought by BT Italia, for an alleged abuse of dominant position in the provision of electronic communications wholesale services.
  
• Obtained the annulment, confirmed by a judgement released by the Supreme Administrative Court in 2023, of the decision by which the Italian Competition Authority ascertained an alleged infringement of article 101 TFUE in relation to the so-called “SEDA” service, to be offered by banks – following the adoption of the EU Payments Service Directive and Regulation – as an optional auxiliary service to Sepa Direct Debit.
  
• Assisted Engie Energy Services International SA assisted Engie Energy Services International before the Supreme Administrative Court (Council of State) in the appeal proceeding regarding a fine imposed in 2019 for a violation of Article 101 TFUE consisting in an alleged coordination of strategies in participating in the public tender Consip FM4 realized by the main operators actives in the facility management sector.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Federalberghi, the Association of Italian hotels, in several EU and competition law related matters, including two referrals for a preliminary ruling before the EU Court of Justice made by the Italian supreme administrative jurisdiction (Council of State) concerning the applicability to Airbnb of a tax statute on short rents adopted by the Italian State.
  
• Assisted Scuola Elementare Maria Montessori before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the State aid case relating to the tax exemption on the municipal tax on real property (ICI) granted by Italy to non-commercial bodies (Joined Cases C-622/16 P, C-623/16 P and C-624/16 P).
  
• Assisted Progetto Grano S.p.A. – Cereal and Milling in raising specific European law issues (and, in particular, in proposing a referral for preliminary ruling to the Court of Justice) in the proceedings pending before the Court of Cassation between Progetto Grano S.p.A. and the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agencies in relation to the entity of the interests that should be paid on export refunds for agricultural products that have never been disbursed by the competent public administration.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised FSI in connection with the antitrust issues relating to the investment in Bancomat.
  
• Advised Intesa Sanpaolo before the EU Commission in the merger control issues relating to the acquisition of joint control, together with Enel, over Mooney.
  
• Advised Intesa Sanpaolo RBM Salute in the successful appeal before the Regional Administrative Court for Latium (TAR Lazio) against the Italian Competition Authority’s decision which had sanctioned the company for € 5 million for unfair commercial practices.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised Pro-Gest Group – one of Europe’s major players in the vertically integrated production of paper, cardboard, and packaging – before the Council of State (court docket case no. 6707/2021) in connection with the appeal of the judgment of the First Instance Administrative Court (TAR Lazio) no. 6080/2021 on the fining decision of the Italian Competition Authority (“ICA”) in the cardboard cartel matter (case ICA no. I805) for alleged breach of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
  
• Advised Pro-Gest Group on a high number of damages actions (follow-on actions) deriving from the cardboard cartel fined by the ICA mentioned above. The firm is assisting the client in a series of proceedings before the Italian Civil Courts brought by the purchasers of the interested products that claim the damages allegedly deriving by the conduct of the manufacturers that took place in the alleged cartel matter (case ICA no. I805).
  
• Advised the leading international scrap lead battery recycler Eco-Bat in connection with several antitrust compliance matters. In particular, the firm assisted the client in the review of the dawn raids guidelines and provided it with our Dawn Raids Emergency Response App along with specific trainings and protocols in case of inspections at the company’s premises and it is currently assisting the client in assessing the antitrust aspects of a confidential project.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised Alfa Acciai S.p.A., Ferriera Valsabbia S.p.A., Valsabbia Investimenti S.p.A. in relation to the appeal of the third readopted decision of the European Commission in case COMP/37.956.
  
• Advised Iliad in relation to the appeal before the General Court of the decision of the European Commission clearing with commitments the joint venture between Vodafone Italia and TIM (Inwit).
  
• Assisted VISA, in relation to proceedings opened by the AGCM on an alleged abuse of dominant position by Mastercard in the market for debit cards payments closed with a decision accepting the commitments submitted by Mastercard and in relation to its intervention in Bancomat’s appeal challenging the AGCM’s decision not to broaden the scope of the proceedings.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised China National Tire & Rubber Corporation Ltd (CNRC), a subsidiary of Sinochem, on the Italian foreign investment filing triggered by the renewal of the shareholders’ agreement concerning the governance of Pirelli & C. S.p.A., executed with the second major shareholder Camfin S.p.A. and its controlling entity Marco Tronchetti Provera & C. S.p.A.
  
• Assisted Mastercard before ICA in relation to an investigation launched by the Authority for an alleged abuse of dominant position in the Italian market for payment cards.
  
• Assisted CDP Equity on Antitrust profiles in the context of the presentation, together with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) acting on behalf of MAM Funds, of a non-binding offer for the purchase of TIM’s forthcoming NetCo, which will include the infrastructure network and the stake in Sparkle.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Eni Sustainable Mobility in the merger control aspects related to the agreement for a strategic partnership with PBF Energy Inc. in the biorefining and production of HVO diesel sector, through the creation of a 50/50 joint venture in connection with the biorefinery, currently under construction, in the area of the Chalmette refinery (Louisiana – USA) owned by the PBF group.
  
• Represented the Spanish airline Volotea in achieving a landmark victory before the European Court of Justice in its long-lasting case regarding alleged illegal state aid in relation to flights to the Italian island Sardinia.
  
• Assisted Itron Italia S.p.A. and Itron Inc. in the appeal to the Administrative Italian Supreme Court (Consiglio di Stato) of the decision of the first instance administrative court in relation to the Italian Competition Authority decision on an alleged bid-rigging in the market of water counters.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted the leading worldwide cement manufacturer, Heidelberg Cement, in the antitrust mock-dawn raid carried out at the premises of its main Italian subsidiary Italcementi.
  
• Assisted Idealista SA’s Italian subsidiary in an ICA investigation, resulting in a favourable outcome with no infringement found or fines imposed.
  
• Assisted two subsidiaries of Newell Brands facing private litigation from a distributor over the decision to restrict a major global technology/retail company’s marketplace sales. Successfully avoided an ICA investigation.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised Hera in a proceeding for abuse of dominant position before the Italian Antitrust Authority.
  
• Advised European Commission on a study related to remedies imposed in non-cartel antitrust cases.
  
• Advised Enel on a claim for damages of 1.7 billion € before the civil court in relation to an abuse of dominant position.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Unilever in a preliminary ruling proceedings originating from the Council of State and relating to the definition of “single economic entity” as well as on the test to be applied to exclusionary and discount policy. The proceedings concern the enforcement of art. 102 of the TFEU. In respect of this case, the ECJ handed down its ruling overall favourable to Unilever’s position on January 2023.
  
• Assisted GE Medical Systems Italia S.p.A. GE Healthcare Italia S.r.l, GE Holding S.r.l. and GE Medical Systems SCS in the context of the appeal raised by a competitor against the decision of the Italian Competition Authority (ICA) to close the investigation against our clients without finding any infringement. In this context, it assisted the client to resist against the appeal and raise a cross-appeal concerning certain sections of the ICA’s decision.
  
• Assisted Volkswagen Bank GmbH before the Italian Supreme Administrative Court Italian in the appeal promoted by the Italian Competition Authority against the Regional Administrative Court judgement annulling the Authority’s final decision in a cartel case in the car financing sector.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Secured a 99% discount on a fine levied on CNS, when our client found itself at the centre of an Article 101 cartel investigation by the IAA, following its involvement in a €2.7 billion public tender procedure, the largest ever issued, at the time, by a public administration in the EU.
  
• Assisted Watertech and its parent company, Arad Ltd., in appealing a cartel sanctioning decision before the first instance administrative court, and obtained a significant fine reduction.
  
• Saw off a rarely seen damages claim against Nuovo Imaie, a collective management organization for artists’ rights, brought by Artisti 7607, another collective society active in the same sector, alleging abusive behaviour by our client, due to its apparent failure to honour commitments made binding by the IAA in 2017.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised the German company CTS Eventim, TicketOne S.p.A.’s parent company, on the successful appeal of the decision adopted by the Italian Antitrust Authority (IAA) for an alleged abuse of dominant position.
  
• Assisted Malacalza Investimenti in their appeal to the ECB Decision No. LS/LdG/19/185 of 12 June 2019 by which the ECB rejected Malacalza Investimenti’s confirmatory application submitted to access to the decision of 2 January 2019 by which the ECB appointed Carige’s temporary administrators and a number of related documents before the GCEU (Case T-552/19).
  
• Advised MP & Silva in relation to the cartel investigation (Case I814) opened by the Italian Antitrust Authority, initially concerning the acquisition of Serie A international football broadcasting rights and then extended to a second alleged cartel concerning the acquisition of Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana international football broadcasting rights.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Consorzio Ecopolietilene in the investigation under Article 102 TFEU initiated by AGCM against Polieco for abuse of dominant position.
  
• Assisted Trenitalia in the investigation under Article 102 TFEU initiated by the AGCM on July 19, 2022: according to the AGCM, since 2021 Trenitalia has been engaging in a constructive refusal to supply aimed at excluding its only competitor, Italo-Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, in the high-speed train sector.
  
• Assisted Telecom Italia in proceedings under Article 102 TFEU No. A514 initiated in June 2017 by the AGCM regarding an alleged exclusionary strategy committed by Telecom in the market for ultra-wideband access services.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised CCPL on a cartel-related judicial proceedings before the EU General Court and obtained a significant fine reduction.
  
• Advised ENI on merger-control related aspects of the acquisition of control over LabAnalysis and the creation of a market leader in the area of ecological consulting.
  
• Advised COREPLA, the main plastic recycling consortium in Italy, in the implementation of an antitrust compliance programme involving all functions.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Kedrion and its parent company Sestant Internazionale on securing global merger control and FDI clearances of a transaction whereby the PE fund Permira and Sestant acquired joint control over Kedrion and Bio Products Laboratory Limited.
  
• Assisted F. Hoffmann-La Roche on the Avastin/Lucentis matter concerning an alleged anti-competitive arrangement between the Roche and Novartis groups concerning the use of pharmaceutical products Lucentis and Avastin for the treatment of certain ocular conditions, which had led, back in 2014, the Italian Competition Authority to impose hefty fines on the investigated companies.
  
• Assisted Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and its wholly-owned German subsidiary TX Logistik AG on the merger control aspects of TX Logistik’s strategic acquisition of Exploris SA.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Essetifin S.p.A. before the Administrative Courts to obtain the annulment of the decision of the Italian Competition Authority alleging an abuse of a dominant position in the Italian market for the production and sale of drugs based on chenodesoxycholic acid (CDCA).
  
• Assisted TIM S.p.A. before the Administrative Court of Second Instance against the Italian Competition Authority for the confirmation of the first instance ruling that annulled the ICA’s decision imposing a fine totaling 228 million € on Fastweb, TIM, Vodafone and Wind Tre for an alleged anticompetitive agreement regarding monthly billing in the telecommunication Italian market.
  
• Assisted Terna S.p.A., the Italian Transmission System Operator, before the Italian Civil Court on a follow-on action, worth approx. 300 million, against certain companies liable for having taken part in a secret worldwide cartel found by the European Commission in the power cable case.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Advised Dea Capital Alternative funds in obtaining clearance of its acquisition of Costa Experience, a company of the Costa Group and one of the most important Italian operators in the national market of thematic and aquatic parks.
  
• Advised F2i SGR S.p.A. in obtaining the antitrust and golden power clearance in the context of the acquisition HISI and its group of companies, including those acting as providers of all the non-health-related services related to the management of the Nuovo Ospedale di Legnano (Milan) (70k sqm, 550 beds and 19 operating rooms) and the Alba-Bra Hospital (Cuneo) (140k sqm, 11 operating rooms and 350 beds).
  

Principaux dossiers

• Acted as Monitoring Trustee, jointly with Advolis, appointed by the EU Commission in order to oversee the implementation of the commitments imposed by the latter in the clearance decision of the acquisition of joint control over INWIT by Telecom Italia and Vodafone.
  
• Provided legal assistance to Bene Assicurazioni, and its wholly controlled company FIT Società Benefit S.r.l, in the implementation of the commitments imposed by the IAA in the context of the investigation I 856.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Assisted Unilegion to bring a follow on action against the members of the corrugated cardboard cartel, recently fined by the Italian Competition Authorities.
  
• Assisted OPPO in ongoing negotiations for FRAND licenses over key patent portfolios held by leading SEP holders.
  

Principaux dossiers

Principaux dossiers

• Advised and represented Universal Tobacco in relation to their Italian operations and purchasing.
  
• Advised and represented Amoruso to coordinate their activities and optimise the range of services offered to ocean cargo carriers.
  
• Advised and represented COSCO CHINA OPEN SHIPPING TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS in designing a strategy to counter the acquisition by a competitor of the third operator in Genoa harbour.
  

Principaux dossiers

• Represented Wizz Air in the Italian Competition Authority’s(ICA) investigation on price algorithm and machine learning (I 863).
  
• Represented SNCF Voyages S A on issue about entry into the Italian high-speed railways market.
  
• Represented SNCF Voyages s.r.l. on litigation to have a significant reduction of tariffs for international passengers’ trains.