Private enforcement of EU and UK competition law at the crossroads: Retrospective and Prospective

About the conference

This conference is organised by
CLES at UCL Faculty of Laws & The Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London

Private enforcement of competition law has been a longstanding feature of both EU and UK legal systems. Particularly, damages actions for competition law infringements and collective redress mechanisms have seen a notable rise in recent years. Nearly a decade after the European Union (EU) Damages Directive (2014/104) and the reforms introduced by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 in the UK, alongside the emergence of new digital regulations (DMA, DMCCA) that incorporate both public and private enforcement mechanisms, it is timely to evaluate these developments and consider the future trajectory of private competition law enforcement in the EU and UK.

The conference organised by the CLES@UCL and KCL aim to provide such an assessment by focusing, among other topics, on collective redress mechanisms, opt-in versus opt-out approaches, and addressing challenges in cross-jurisdictional and parallel proceedings (where public and private enforcement of competition law but also digital regulations operate simultaneously), the evolution of harm theories, causation requirements, expert roles, damages quantification methods, litigation funding models, and representative actions.

Significant case law developments in both the UK and EU, alongside divergent national approaches reflecting different political economies and legal frameworks, raise important questions as to the role of private enforcement. Answering these requires us first to critically analyze past achievements regarding the twin goals of private enforcement - compensation and deterrence and to consider what the current competitive landscape and legal system dynamics portend for the future of private enforcement of competition law in the EU and the UK.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Daniel Beard KC, Monckton Chambers
• Lord Bellamy KC, Monckton Chambers
• Judge Pedraz Calvo, Audiencia National, Court of Appeal, Madrid
• Thomas Clark, Which?
• Andrea Coscelli CBE, Keystone Strategy
• Mihail Danov, University of Exeter
• Peter Davis, The Brattle Group
• Ronan Flanagan, CMA
• Nicholas Frey, Freshfields
• Damien Geradin, Geradin Partners/Tilburg University
• Helen Jenkins, OXERA
• Professor Ioannis Kokkoris, CCLS, Queen Mary University of London
• Ass. Prof. Filippo Lancieri, Georgetown Law (online)
• Oliver Latham, CRA
• Professor Ioannis Lianos, UCL Faculty of Laws
• Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen, BIICL
• Deni Mantzari, UCL
• Francisco Marcos, IE Law School
• Professor Rachael Mulheron KC, (Hon), Queen Mary University London
• Gabriela Muscolo, Rucellai&Raffaelli Law firm
• Professor Renato Nazzini KC (Hon), King's College London
• Joe Perkins, FTI Consulting
• Judge Ulrika Persson, Patent and Market Court of Appeal, Stockholm
• Elena Ray, Brown Rudnick LLP
• Frank Maier Rigaud, ABCeconomics
• Professor Barry Rodger, Strathclyde University
• Mario Siragusa, Cleary Gottlieb
• Miguel Sousa Fero, Managing Partner at Sousa Ferro & Associados/ Professor Lisbon University Law School
• Professor Andreas Stephan, Norwich Law School
• Alex Stratakis, Van Bael & Bellis
• Patrick Teague, Geradin Partners
• Stefano Trento, Compass Lexecon
• Chris Williams, Bench Walk Advisors
• Stephen Wisking, HSF

The conference reception and lunch are supported by

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Executive Education (June 2025)

Competition Law, Public Policy and Technology: A Complexity Perspective

In June 2025 we are offering a course with high-level insights into the evolving field of competition law, equipping professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate and influence regulatory landscapes. The course will explore the major public policy challenges that competition authorities worldwide confront and provide participants with a deep dive into the latest developments and case studies.

Read more about this course

Valentine Korah Laws Memorial Fund

The Valentine Korah Laws Memorial Fund honours the memory of a much loved exceptional scholar and advocate. Explore the opportunities that we believe best honour the spirit Valentine Korah embodied, and the legacy she left at UCL Laws. The new fund will:

• support the Valentine Korah Scholarship
• support an annual Valentine Korah Prize in competition law for undergraduates
• support a Valentine Korah Collaboration Space in Bentham House
• support an annual Valentine Korah Lecture
• support the creation of academic positions in competition law or policy

View full details of the opportunities available and how to donate can be found at:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/remembering-professor-valentine-korah