Insights

The pension transition process in the Netherlands is well underway. But pension providers and employers are grappling with various issues surrounding the implementation of pension-related compensation,  ranging from unclear disclosure requirements to questions about what to do during reorganisations. In this article, lawyers Irina Timp and Eva Schram from De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek discuss the disputes that have already emerged, those they expect further down the line, and the things that employers often overlook. For the article in Dutch, click here.

The European Single Access Point (ESAP) will provide investors and other stakeholders with a centralised, EU wide platform that provides a free and single point of access to public financial and sustainability information about European companies. The ESAP is expected to go live no later than 10 July 2027. The platform will be managed by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

Competition authorities around the world are closing loopholes and asserting jurisdiction over potentially harmful mergers that fall below quantitative merger-control thresholds. Activities that give them cause for concern include anti-competitive effects in local markets, roll-up strategies, killing potential competition, and the stifling of future innovation. Authorities are increasingly taking the view that an undertaking's revenue size does not necessarily reflect its position and importance in competitive market dynamics.

De Brauw advised the underwriting banks on the US initial public offering of INNIO N.V., a global energy solutions provider for applications such as data centres. The IPO consisted entirely of a secondary offering by the selling shareholder AI Alpine, which is co-owned by funds managed by Advent International and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). It raised USD 2.43 billion.

Universal Music Group is a music and entertainment company active in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content. It has been listed on Euronext Amsterdam since 2021. Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. is a New York-based hedge fund founded and managed by Bill Ackman.

De Brauw advised TenneT Netherlands B.V. on a decision by the Dutch central bank allowing credit institutions to treat exposures to TenneT as exposures to the Dutch central government. TenneT is the first Dutch company to obtain this status and to be included on the European Banking Authority's list.