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The European Commission has released comprehensive guidelines on applying Article 102 TFEU to exclusionary conduct by dominant firms, modernizing EU competition policy while codifying existing case law. These guidelines introduce analytical frameworks for assessing various types of anticompetitive behavior, including predatory pricing, margin squeeze, exclusive dealing, and tying arrangements, while addressing the role of presumptions and efficiency defenses in establishing abuse of dominance.

Belgium's Investment Screening Committee received 191 foreign investment filings in its latest reporting period, marking a sharp increase driven by more active detection of non-notified transactions. The first-ever refusal came after the period ended, blocking a China-linked acquisition of a Belgian offshore helicopter services provider, demonstrating that low refusal rates don't preclude negative outcomes for sensitive sector investments.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has issued a landmark ruling on whether political parties can use reputable trademarks for parody or campaigning purposes under EU trademark law. The case examines a Belgian political party's IKEA-themed immigration campaign and establishes new criteria for balancing trademark rights against freedom of expression. National courts must now weigh multiple factors including intent, contribution to public debate, and potential brand damage when assessing such uses.