Friday 11 September 2026

08.30 – 13.30 CET, followed by lunch

Solvay Brussels School Economics and Management, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels

2026 is set to be a landmark year for merger control, with the European Commission expected to adopt revised Merger Control Guidelines by the end of the year. As part of that review process, the Commission is due to publish an Economic Study on the dynamic effects of mergers, currently expected by the end of August 2026. The Commission Study is being prepared by Oxera in collaboration with Professors Otto Toivanen, Yassine Lefouili, and Leonardo Madio.

Join us on Friday 11 September for an economic workshop hosted by the Université Libre de Bruxelles to present and discuss the findings of the Commission Study.

The event brings together speakers from academia, the European Commission, national competition authorities, and private practice.

Register your interest in attending before 30 July 2026:

Programme

09:00 – 09.15 Opening remarks

Guillaume Loriot, Deputy Director General for Mergers, DG Competition, European Commission

Mathias Dewatripont, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Helen Jenkins, Oxera

09:15 – 09:45 Keynote address

Philippe Aghion, Collège de France and INSEAD (online)

Chair: John Vickers, University of Oxford (online)

09:45 – 10:15 Overview of the Study

Otto Toivanen, Aalto University, Lead Academic Researcher on Study

John Vickers, University of Oxford (online)

Chair: Mathias Dewatripont, Université Libre de Bruxelles

10:15 – 10:45 Coffee break

10:45 – 12:00 Panel 1: Theories of dynamic harm

Giulio Federico, Oxera, Project Director for the Study

Chiara Fumagalli, Bocconi University

Nancy Rose, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Michele Polo, Bocconi University

Laurent Eymard, Berkeley Research Group

Chair: Marion Bailly, DG Competition, European Commission

12:00 – 13:15 Panel 2: Theories of dynamic benefits

Yassine Lefouili, Toulouse School of Economics, Economic Advisor on the Study

Emanuele Tarantino, DG Competition, European Commission

Ana Sofia Rodrigues, Portuguese Competition Authority

Bruno Cassiman, KU Leuven and IESE Business School

Jorge Padilla, Compass Lexecon

Chair: Timo Klein, Oxera, Project Manager for the Study

13:15 – 13:30 Closing remarks

Anthony Whelan, Director General, DG Competition, European Commission

13:30 Lunch

If you have any questions about the event, please contact [email protected], the team will be happy to help.

Please note that photographs will be taken during this event and may be shared publicly, for example on social media and websites. If you do not wish to appear in these photographs, please notify: [email protected] or speak to a member of staff at the event. Should the event be oversubscribed, we may limit the number of attendees per organisation and will contact you directly if this applies.

This event is being run by Oxera Consulting LLP (‘Oxera’). Oxera will act as the sole data controller and will store and use your data in accordance with our privacy policy. If you have any questions contact [email protected].