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Summary on the Opening Session about Antitrust Law04.11.2025

The LIDC Congress 2025 in Vienna welcomed more than 230 IP & Competition lawyers from all over the world and started with an Opening Session on current developments in competition law from a Austrian/European and a United States perspective.

As special part of our summaries we take a look back at the beginning of the LIDC Congress 2025, where the Opening Session began with welcoming speeches by LIDC President Zoltan Barakonyi, LIDC Austria President Michael Meyenburg and LIDC Austria Secretary General Hannes Seidelberger. Almost the entire Austrian competition community of around 100 lawyers and other legal practitioners as well as more than 120 international professionals from Europe, Asia, Australia, Brazil and the United States came together to attend this opening meeting and the subsequent Keynote Speeches. Natalie Harsdorf, Director General of the Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde (Austrian Federal Competition Authority), provided in her Keynote Speech comprehensive insights into recent developments in competition law in Austria and Europe. She pointed out that competition law ensures that markets remain fair, innovative and open to consumers, businesses and society as a whole. Strong and consistent enforcement of the regulations would help to build trust, encourage investment and protect the level playing field on which Europe’s economy relies. Effective competition policy would deliver real results and tangible benefits for everyone, from construction to energy to digital markets.

In the following Keynote Speech Creighton Macy, Baker McKenzie’s Global Chair of Antitrust & Competition, spoke about recent trends in U.S. antitrust enforcement, emphasizing that federal enforcers remain highly active and have not taken their foot off the pedal. He also pointed out that the role of state enforcers is continuing to expand, including in industries such as healthcare, which adds complexity to the regulatory landscape. The report provided key updates on merger, criminal and civil enforcement and litigation, as well as an overview of trends in private litigation and current administration's policy initiatives. Furthermore, the speech also discussed the interplay between U.S. enforcers and their counterparts around the world.

Thereafter, Professor Georg Kodek, President of the Austrian Supreme Court of Justice, surprised us with a pleasant welcome speech and also took part in the following discussion panel, where he provided insight into current antitrust rulings, as he also serves as the relevant Senate President. Then several current issues relating to antitrust law were discussed in greater depth on the podium. Among the audience at this first comprehensive antitrust section of the conference, we welcomed Erika Ummenberger-Zierler (Head of Competition Policy and Law at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism), Sonja Köller-Thier (President of a Cartel Senate at the Higher Regional Court of Vienna), Heinz Ludwig Majer (Austrian Federal Cartel Attorney) and Jörg Zehetner (Chairman of the Austrian Competition Commission), as well as many other renowned experts in this field.

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Summary on the Opening Session about Antitrust Law04.11.2025

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