A success story: EUFDI Association first annual conference

Reflecting on our fantastic first EUFDI Association conference in Brussels!

Undoubtedly one of many more to come. Bringing together 100+ lawyers globally was no easy task. Yet, the success of our 31st January event lay not only in the quality of attendees but in the thought-provoking and enlightening conversations.

We were thrilled to host the EUFDI Conference alongside Christine Graham, Pedro Callol and Henry Savoie at the beautiful Fondation Universitaire Stichting in Brussels. A huge thank you to all speakers and attendees for insightful discussions and challenging debates on the evolving Foreign Direct Investment landscape. Your contributions made this event a true success!

Key topics discussed:

•          How to consider FDI in the current geopolitical landscape: National security considerations are shaping decisions across Member States. Will we see greater harmonisation, or diverging national approaches? A huge thank you to Alan Mak MP, Professor Alan Riley, Andrea Zulli, Oliver Bretz and Olena Tregub for a thought-provoking discussion.

•          Regulatory Complexity: Navigating FDI rules, foreign subsidies regulations, merger control rules and geopolitical shifts remains a challenge. How to ensure businesses can operate efficiently while meeting obligations. With special thanks to Head of Unit for FDI Screening at DG Trade, Damien Levie with Nicole Karr and Pedro Callol, providing key insights into the Commission’s position. Thanks also to all our panelists, for the clear (as possible!) overview of the various EU regimes: Guenter Bauer, Anders Leissner, Julie Catala Marty, Mark Gardner, Paul Drößler and Boyd Wolffers.

•          Enforcement & Remedies: Which sectors face the most scrutiny? What factors lead to challenging processes and blocked deals? How do different jurisdictions approach remedies? What does this mean for deal structuring, and how can businesses anticipate regulatory challenges? Some fascinating deep dives with the help of: Alessandra Moroni, Josh Buckland, Bart Creve, Robert Neruda, James Marshall, Marc Ph.M. Wiggers, Ph.D., Dr. Sebastian Janka, LL.M. (Stellenbosch) and Vito Auricchio.

•          Beyond FDI — Outbound Investment Controls: With the US Outbound Investment Security Program (OISP) now in force and the EU’s recent recommendation, companies must carefully assess deal structures. Thanks to Vincent Power, Alastair Mordaunt, Bruno Lebrun and Dillon Martinson.

As competition and FDI rules evolve, staying ahead is more critical than ever. We look forward to continuing the conversation together! To be continued !