Etsuko Kameoka specialises in EU competition law, with a particular emphasis on cartel investigations, commercial agreements, IP licensing issues, merger control proceedings, abuses of dominance and private damages actions. Etsuko also assists in creating corporate competition compliance programmes and conducts training sessions.

Prior to joining Geradin Partners in 2022, Etsuko gained experience working in leading competition law firms, including Van Bael & Bellis for more than 20 years.

• Cartel investigations including DRAM, auto parts and aviation cases. 

• Competition law aspects of commercial agreements of various Japanese companies such as distribution, R&D, and production agreements.

• Strategic IP licensing and competition law advice to Japanese leading manufacturers of consumer electronics

• Merger control clearances under the EU Merger Regulation and coordinating multi-jurisdictional merger filings for various global companies

• Foreign investment and public security regulatory aspects of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures project involving Asian companies.

• Regulatory and competition advice in relation to the EU digital market for companies and the Japanese government-related entities.  

• Clients’ due process in competition investigations including the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizures in dawn raids.     

• Civil claims for damages for infringements of EU competition law against Japanese companies in EU Member countries and the UK. 

• Competition compliance programme and regular training for a large international trading company across several European jurisdictions.

• University of Brussels (ULB), PhD in Law [2021] 
• College of Europe, Bruges, Post-Graduate Studies in European Legal Studies [2001]
• New York University School of Law, LL.M. in International Legal Studies [1997]
• University of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, Post-Graduate Studies in EC Law [1996]
• Keio University, Japan, Bachelor and Master of Laws, LL.B., LL.M., PhD candidate [1994]    

New York
Brussels

Japanese, English, French

Etsuko’s work has been widely published in both Japan and Europe, including the book “Competition Law and Policy in Japan and the EU” (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2014). Her main publications include:

• “Proposals for Legal Professional Privileges in EU Competition Investigations (in English)”, Market and Competition Law Review, Vol. 6, No. 1 (March 2022) pp.15-47.
• “The impact of the European Green Deal on EU competition law (in Japanese)”, Fair Trade (Tokyo) No.855, (January 2022), pp. 16-25.
•  “EU competition law and the European Green Deal (in Japanese)”, Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law (Tokyo) Vol.48, No.3 (March 2020), pp. 303-308.
• “Legal Professional Privilege in EU Competition Investigations and a Proposal for the Recognition of Privilege in Japan (in Japanese)”, Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law (Tokyo) Vol.47, No.7 (July 2019), pp. 811-814.
• “A Proposal to Reform the Fining Methods in Japanese Competition Law Investigations in light of EU Competition Law Practice (in Japanese)”, NBL (Tokyo) No.1101 (July 2017), pp. 37-43.
• “25 years after the introduction of EU Merger control: actual status and future perspectives (in Japanese)”, Shojihomu, (Tokyo) No. 2079 (September 2015), pp. 54-61.
• “Pro-consumer efficiencies in competition law and practice in Japan and the EU (in English)”, Concorrenza e Mercato (Milan), n. 15/2007 (September 2008), pp. 161-177.
• “Efficiency claims in Japanese merger control: a comparative overview (in English)”, Concorrenza e Mercato (Milan), n.13-14/2005-2006 (February 2007), pp. 251-266.
• “The Arbitrability of EU Competition Law (in Japanese)”, Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law (Tokyo), Vol.28 (November 2000), No.11.

Etsuko lectured on EU competition law at various universities including the Brussels School of Competition (BSC) and the University of Lille.  She also regularly speaks on competition law at legal conferences in both Japan and Europe.

• Email: ekameoka@geradinpartners.com