Companies that are active in the energy, post, telecommunications, media and healthcare sectors are increasingly confronted not only with European and Dutch competition law, but also with sector-specific regulations and special regulatory authorities. The reason is often the public interest, the utility function or the network character of these sectors.

Regulatory authorities such as the Independent Post and Telecommunications Authority (OPTA), the Office of Energy Regulation (DTe) and the Dutch Care Authority (NZa) have powers in certain circumstances to intervene in a company's policy, such as with regard to pricing policy, the way in which a product is marketed and the provision of information for customers. This can of course have far-reaching consequences for a company.

Our Competition Law specialists at CMS have a thorough knowledge of these sector-specific regulations. We advise companies that are active in a variety of regulated markets and promote their interests in proceedings before the various regulatory authorities. We also conduct litigation on behalf of clients in sector-specific proceedings with national and other judicial authorities.