McDermott - Media Mentions

Media Mentions

2012

“China’s 2012 Tax Reforms, CPI, Sustainable Development, Retail Sales, Baby Care and More”
ARC China “China Weekly Bulletin,” January 4, 2012

Frank Schoneveld said that government approvals of 2011 deals by major foreign companies Nestle and Yum Brands to buy Chinese businesses show that “China is now saying that it’s open to multinational companies.” Mr. Schoneveld added that this was in contrast to past signals from China’s antitrust regulators that the closer foreign companies get to acquiring Chinese retailers or consumer companies, the more difficulties they will face.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

2011

“Nestle’s Acquisition of Hsu Fu Chi Approved”
Want China Times, December 9, 2011

Frank Schoneveld asserted that “China is now saying that it is open to multinational companies,” in the wake of Chinese antitrust regulatory approval of Nestle’s bid to buy a major Chinese candy maker.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“China Approves Nestle’s Candy Maker Purchase”
Reuters, December 7, 2011

Frank Schoneveld, assessing the foreign purchaser impact of China’s regulatory approval for Nestle to buy a 60% stake in a major Chinese candy company, noted that “there had been a concern that if you were doing a transaction that involved a major Chinese brand it would be difficult to get [approval] through. This deal, together with the earlier Yum Brands-Little Sheep transaction, shows that’s not the case.”

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“China Opens Wider to Takeovers”
Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2011

Frank Schoneveld stated that Chinese government antitrust approval for two purchases of Chinese companies by foreign-owned firms shows that “China is now saying that it’s open to multinational companies.”

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“Beijing Approves Nestle’s Purchase of Candy Maker”
South China Morning Post, December 7, 2011

Frank Schoneveld noted that Chinese government approval of two major recent acquisitions by foreign companies shows that approval is possible even when the acquisitions involve popular Chinese firms.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“China Clears Nestle $1.7bn Bid for Confectionery Maker”
BBC News, December 7, 2011

Frank Schoneveld commented that China’s regulatory approval for the Nestle-Hsu Fu Chi and Yum Brands-Little Sheep transactions shows that it’s not the case that foreign companies will find approval difficult when purchasing all or part of popular Chinese companies.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“China Telecom, Unicom Admit Fault in Antitrust Case, Caixin Says”
Bloomberg News, November 21, 2011

Frank Schoneveld was cited for his earlier comments that an antitrust investigation in which two Chinese telecom companies have reportedly admitted fault was the first antitrust probe against state-controlled companies taken by a Chinese government agency.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“Bejing’s Antitrust Watchdogs Sharpen Their Teeth”
Reuters, November 16, 2011

Frank Schoneveld warned that foreign companies in China should take recent government anti-monopoly steps “as a real wake-up call because so far the attitude has generally been that they don’t need to worry about the anti-monopoly law just yet.” He predicted that the government’s anti-monopoly enforcement process “will speed up as [regulators] have more resources. They’ll take on more cases and we’ll see more action.”

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“China Sets Antitrust Milestone with Investigation into Large SOEs”
The Financial Times, November 15, 2011

Frank Schoneveld asserted that the Chinese government’s antitrust investigation of two large telecom state-owned enterprises (SOEs) “clearly demonstrates the Chinese government is getting serious about the anti-monopoly law [AML]. SOEs were never immune from the AML, although many assumed they would be, so this is a big wake-up alarm to those who thought it would be much longer before the AML would be enforced vigorously by China’s antitrust agencies.” Mr. Schoneveld added that “large foreign companies in particular had better make sure their China operations are compliant with the AML.”

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“China Telecom, Unicom Cooperate with Anti-Monopoly Probe”
Bloomberg News, November 10, 2011

Frank Schoneveld said that the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) anti-monopoly probe of two Chinese Internet service providers is a “game-changing” application of China’s anti-monopoly law. “This is the first time the NDRC, or any other competition regulator in China, has publicly taken such action against large, state-controlled companies,” Mr. Schoneveld stated. “It means the NDRC is willing to investigate and sanction big, state-owned enterprises when most commentators were saying they would not do so.”

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“Yum’s Proposed Little Sheep Takeover Approved”
Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2011

Frank Schoneveld said that, although Chinese regulators approved an American restaurant company’s transaction to take a major Chinese restaurant chain private, future approvals may be harder because “there’s a desire to prevent public perception that foreigners are taking over in China.” Mr. Schoneveld added that a major test of China’s sentiment toward foreign buyouts could come with a December ruling on Nestle SA’s offer for China’s second biggest candy company.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“McDermott Relocates Brussels Partner Frank Schonveld to MWE China in Shanghai”
Asian Legal Business, June 30, 2011

Frank Schoneveld was noted for his reassignment to MWE China Law Offices to help clients deal with legal challenges under China’s new Anti-Monopoly Law (AML). Mr. Schoneveld has more than 20 years of experience in European Union competition law and regulatory issues.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“McDermott Moves Schoneveld to Shanghai”
Global Competition Review, June 1, 2011

Frank Schoneveld discussed his relocation to MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai, explaining that China is “a very exciting market for competition law services” because “both the Chinese regulators and legal advisers are assessing and testing how the relatively new Anti-Monopoly Law (AML) will develop.” Mr. Schoneveld added that his EU experience in similar circumstances, “as well as good relations with the Chinese competition regulators, will certainly enhance the capacity of [MWE China Law Offices] in advising clients.”

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“McDermott Boosts Chinese Competition Law Capability and Global Antitrust Footprint”
Asia Chronicles, May 31, 2011

Frank Schoneveld, antitrust partner in McDermott’s Brussels office, has moved to MWE China Law Offices to enhance the two firms’ joint competition law capabilities. Mr. Schoneveld has more than 20 years of experience in EU competition law and regulatory matters, and will help advise multinational companies facing legal challenges under China’s new Anti-Monopoly Law (AML), which is patterned after the EU model. He previously has worked with MWE China Law Offices on numerous AML matters.

Frank Schoneveld, Antitrust & Competition

“McDermott to Relocate Senior Antitrust Partner to Chinese Alliance Firm”
American Lawyer, May 31, 2011

Joseph Winterscheid, head of the Firm’s Global Antitrust & Competition group, said relocating Brussels office antitrust partner Frank Schoneveld as an external consultant to MWE China Law Offices, “gives us a key competitive advantage” and “a capability that our international competitors lack.” Mr. Winterscheid noted that because “China is a key jurisdiction for us and our clients, and the country’s new anti-monopoly law is at the top of their minds, [t]o have a truly global antitrust capability it’s critical that you cover not only the U.S. and the European Union, but now also China.”

Frank Schoneveld, Joseph F. Winterscheid, Antitrust & Competition

2008

Frank Schoneveld and Marc Sorini were quoted in the May 20 issue of Managing Intellectual Property in an article discussing the regulatory issues that alcohol manufacturers and distributors face when importing their product into the European Union and United States. Mr. Sorini said that while many people regard the U.S. as one of the most open economies in the world, when it comes to alcohol, "The regulatory system is more complicated, more expensive and more time consuming than you could have possibly imagined." Mr. Schoneveld advised people not only to register trade marks, but also to look at getting additional protection such as protected designation, traditional specialty guaranteed and, if possible, protected geographical indication.

Frank Schoneveld, Marc E. Sorini, Alcohol Regulatory & Distribution, Brussels, EU Regulatory, Intellectual Property - Alcohol Regulatory & Distribution

2007

Frank Schoneveld was quoted in the July 31 issue of International Herald Tribune in relation to the legal actions brought by several EU Member States and companies challenging the carbon emission quotas determined by the European Commission. Mr. Shoneveld explained that losses by the European Commission in these court cases "could throw the entire market out of balance .... Suddenly there could be anywhere between 5 percent and 20 percent more CO2 emissions allowed depending on the country." He added that judges could however seek to make their rulings narrow enough to avoid destabilising carbon markets.

Frank Schoneveld, Brussels, European Energy