Nordics - Norway
1

EU and competition

Arntzen de Besche

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Arntzen de Besche’s ‘highly-skilled’ team attracts praise for its ‘exceptional knowledge of EU and competition legislation’. With demonstrable industry strength across the trade and retail sectors, the group handles a high volume of merger control and state aid mandates. The ‘outstanding’ Svein Terje Tveit oversees the department and is particularly active in high-profile state aid investigations and litigation, as well as advising on compliance and merger control mandates. Also in the core team is Stein Ove Solberg, a seasoned competition expert with a solid track record in advising clients within the trade, retail, and food sectors on complex merger control cases. At associate level, Frida May Behrens handles contentious antitrust mandates, while Paul Gunnar Hagelund is also recommended.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The team's capacity, availability and ability to understand complex business matters are among the best I've ever experienced. The team has exceptional knowledge of EU and competition legislation, combined with the same level of expertise in a national perspective.’

  • ‘Svein Terje Tveit has grown to be a senior adviser with a broad spectrum of competencies that makes our legal processes run as efficiently as possible. Svein Terje also seems to be a magnet to brilliant newcomers in the legal business, due to our experience with all the different employees in his team throughout the years.’

  • ‘Svein Terje Tveit shows outstanding legal and commercial skills, excellent communication, local knowledge and showing good understanding of the industry we operate within.’

  • ‘The team is very proactive and up-to-date on all regulatory and political developments relating to food industry and retail.'

  • ‘Stein Ove Solberg; decades of dedication to our industry. Widely admired and respected for his integrity, efficiency and ability to give practical and applicable advice.'

  • 'Svein Terje Tveit: an encyclopedia of all regulatory and political development in the EU regarding competition, public procurement and state aid. A "thinker" and dedicated to our industry. Efficient and easy to cooperate with.'
  • 'Paul Gunnar Hagelund: Paul is an outstanding associate who is creative, efficient and always very well prepared on the facts and the law. A pleasure to cooperate with and "rock solid".'

  • ‘Highly skilled team with relevant branch insight. Easy to work with and easily available. Practical approach in their advice.’

Key clients

  • The Norwegian Competition Authority (Konkurransetilsynet)
  • Orkla ASA
  • Eviny Group
  • Bonnier Books AB
  • Shearwater GeoServices Holding AS
  • SINTEF
  • Nortura SA
  • Toyota Norge AS
  • ENOVA SF
  • TINE SA
  • Abbott Norge AS
  • Bose Products BV
  • Colgate Palmolive Norge AS
  • EG Norge AS
  • AbbVie AS
  • Drivkraft Norge
  • CSL Behring AB
  • Fitness Group Nordic AS

Work highlights

  • Advised Eviny on its legal challenge against ESA before the EFTA Court concerning its 2022 streetlighting state aid infrastructure.
  • Advised EG Norge, a leading software management company, on several acquisitions in Norway cleared in Phase I.
  • Assisting the Norwegian Competition Authority with a number of trustee cases (e.g. Vipps, Ringnes, Sector Alarm, Foodora).

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Stein Ove Solberg
Partner. Solberg is recognised as one of Norway’s leading experts on competition law. He has extensive experience of assisting Norwegian and international companies in a number of different markets with complex cases both in Norway and at the EU/EEA level. In recent years, Solberg has been responsible for many large and important mergers which have been subject to review by the Norwegian Competition Authority. He assists both Norwegian and international clients in cases relating to anti-competitive collusion and abuse of a dominant market position. He also assists companies wishing to perform internal inquiries. In addition, he works on other types of sector-specific regulatory issues, particularly in the food processing and pharmaceutical industries, and assists clients in cases relating to export controls, sanctions and foreign direct investment control. Advising on strategic issues is one of Solberg’s key strengths. He strives to gain an in-depth understanding of his clients, their businesses and the markets in which they operate. He has extensive experience of numerous business sectors, such as the food processing, pharmaceuticals, defence, finance and transport industries.
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Frida May Behrens
Senior Lawyer. Behrens works mainly with public procurement and competition law, as well as general EU/EEA law. She assists national and international clients, as well as Norwegian public authorities, in participating in or carrying out procurement processes. The bulk of Behrens’ clients are on the supplier side. She assists with quality review of bids, review of tender documents, and in negotiations and tender evaluations, in addition to assistance in complaints and access to file processes before the public authorities, the Norwegian Complaints Board for Public Procurement (KOFA) and Norwegian courts. Behrens assists national and international clients across the whole range of competition law issues, including notification of concentrations to the Norwegian Competition Authority. Her particular area of focus is anti-competitive collusions and abuses of dominance. In addition to examinations and assessments of potential anti-competitive conduct, she has assisted in several competition law cases brought before the Norwegian courts. Behrens is a dedicated advisor with a commercial understanding who is keen to give her clients concise and practical advices.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Svein Terje Tveit
Partner. Tveit is ranked as one of the leading lawyers in Norway for competition law and state aid. He is also recognised as an expert on public procurement and general EU/EEA law. He is particularly experienced on matters relating to the sale and distribution of goods, as well as the energy and transport sectors. Tveit is known for his close follow-up of clients, with the mutual exchange of expertise as a premise for finding good solutions. He is passionate about his work, has a proactive approach and a long-term perspective. Good communication is important for Tveit, who is highly valued as a strategic advisor by his clients. Tveit is a sought-after public speaker and contributor to books and articles in well-reputed journals on competition law, state aid and public procurement.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Svein Terje Tveit

Other key lawyers

Stein Ove Solberg, Frida May Behrens, Paul Gunnar Hagelund

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