Year in Review 2023 European Union Law

Pérez-Llorca is pleased to share our European Union Law Year in Review 2023, prepared by our team in the Brussels office.

In this Year in Review, we provide an overview of the developments that have taken place in 2023 and that are relevant to our practice, as well as the most important pending legislative and judicial matters that will be processed in 2024.

Perspectives on Competition Law: new developments in the areas of concentrations, antitrust, State aid and foreign subsidies | We provide an overview of the legislative activity carried out during the year, as well as the pending legislative proposals, specifically the reform of Regulations 1/2003 and 773/2004. In addition, we analyse the main judgements of the CJEU and the cases that are still pending.

Perspectives on Energy and Environment: regulatory activity and key judgments | We provide analysis of the intense legislative activity, undertaken during the year in relation to the European Green Deal, as well as pending legislative proposals, including the Net-Zero Industry Act, the Green Claims Directive and the reform of the electricity market, in respect of which there is already a political agreement. In addition, we analyse the main judgements of the CJEU and the cases that are still pending.

Digital developments | We cover news on the Digital Markets Act (the “DMA”), the Digital Services Act (the “DSA”) and the Regulation on fair access to and use of data. We have also reviewed the sector’s main legislative proposals that are still in the pipeline, while analysing some of the main CJEU appeals and judgments in the area of personal data protection, including the CJEU Judgement of 4 July 2023 in the Meta Platforms case.

The internal market in 2023 | Despite the breadth of issues that could fall under this category, we have focused on the most important legislation adopted in 2023, including the European Chips Act, the Regulation on geographical indication protection for craft and industrial products, the Unitary Patent System and the Regulation on the energy labelling of smartphones and tablets, as well as an overview of the most important pending legislative proposals in this area. In addition, we have analysed some of the most important cases before the CJEU, including an analysis of the Xella Magyarország (concerning the FDI Regulation), Prestige Limousine (concerning the limitations on VTC licences in Barcelona) and Banco Santander (concerning the Spanish mortgage loan reference index (IRPH)) judgments; as well as the main appeals pending in the area of bank resolution and consumer protection.