BLOMSTEIN is opening an office in Düsseldorf, effective April 15, 2026. As part of the initial launch, Christopher Wolters(Partner) and  Tobias Ackermann(Senior Associate) will start on the ground. Further team expansions and formal office opening are planned for later this year.

With the European Commission launching its first calls for proposals under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) almost in parallel with the introduction of AGILE, its new programme for Agile and Rapid Defence Innovation, the EU is taking the next steps in expanding its defence‑industrial toolkit. Time to give a quick overview of what these instruments are and how they fit into existing EU programs.

BLOMSTEIN is delighted to welcome two highly experienced senior lawyers: Juliana Wimmer and Uğur Can Hekim will further enhance our international trade and regulatory practice and our advisory strength in complex international regulatory matters.

Amongst the pressing topics regarding the Defence Industry and the current challenges it faces is the question how competition policy can contribute to Europe’s security.

The EU is facing increasing pressure from global instability and a weakening rules-based order. The “Industrial Accelerator Act” (IAA), for which the Commission recently unveiled its proposal (the Proposal),  is designed to help navigate these challenges. The Proposal sets the target of raising the share of the manufacturing industry in the EU’s gross domestic product to at least 20 % by 2035. This aim shall be achieved mainly by two mechanisms: a framework for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) screening in certain sensitive sectors and “Buy European” requirements for public procurement procedures and subsidies on the other hand. While this briefing focuses on the FDI aspects of the Proposal, its “Buy European” elements are discussed separately.

BLOMSTEIN hat für Fastned einen richtungsweisenden Erfolg im Streit um die Errichtung von elektrischer Schnellladeinfrastruktur an bewirtschafteten Autobahnraststätten in Deutschland erzielt. Das Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf hat heute entschieden, dass die im Jahr 2022 erfolgte milliardenschwere Erweiterung bestehender Konzessionen zur Errichtung von Schnellladeinfrastruktur zugunsten des Unternehmens Tank & Rast vergaberechtswidrig war.

BLOMSTEIN starts the New Year with three celebrations: Elisa Theresa Hauch is promoted to the Antitrust Partnership; Konstantin Kuhle, former Member of the German Bundestag, joins as Special Counsel, and Bruno Galvão is appointed Counsel.

BLOMSTEIN is becoming (even) more international: On 1 October 2025, we are expanding our European presence and will open an office in Brussels. With BLOMSTEIN already being strongly connected across Europe and globally, the new Brussels office marks the natural next step in our international footprint and strengthens our proximity to European institutions. 

This briefing is the fourth in a series on the EU-Mercosur agreement, where BLOMSTEIN addresses key provisions with respect to Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Public Procurement, Competition and Sustainability, and outlines implications and opportunities for businesses.

Today’s briefing focuses on the Government Procurement chapter of the Agreement, which sets out a comprehensive framework for open and reciprocal access to public procurement markets between the two parties. Tendering processes are expected to become more streamlined, transparent, and competitive.

After more than two decades of negotiations, the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement  has taken a significant step closer to becoming a reality. Last December, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her counterparts from four Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) announced they reached a political agreement on the matter. However, the partnership agreement will only come into force after completion by each Party of its internal approval procedures (ratification process).