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Atsumi & Sakai
Etsuko Kameoka
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Etsuko Kameoka

Partner

Brussels Office

Main Practices
Antitrust Compliance and Investigations / Merger Control (Domestic and International) / Vertical Restraints and Abuse of Superior Bargaining Position / Antitrust Investigations (Overseas) / Antitrust Private Enforcement (Overseas) / Europe and the EU
Languages
Japanese / English / French
Office
Brussels
Contact

Overview

Publications & Seminars

Awards

Admitted/Registered

Admitted in New York (2012); registered in Brussels (foreign lawyer) (2012)
*Not Registered as a Foreign Lawyer in Japan

Bar Association

Brussels Bar Association (B-List), New York State Bar Association

Education

Keio University (LL.B., 1990)
Keio University Law School (LL.M., 1992)
Keio University Law School (PhD Candidate, attended until 1997)
University of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne (EU law studies, 1996)
New York University School of Law (LL.M., 1997)
College of Europe (EU law studies, 2001)
Université libre de Bruxelles (Doctor of Law, 2021)

Background

European Commission Directorate-General Competition (Brussels, Belgium), Administrative intern (1997-1998)    
Thomas & Associés (Deloitte & Touche, Legal department) (Currently Taj), Associate (Paris, France) (1998-1999)
Eversheds (Brussels, Belgium), EU legal consultant (January 2000-2001)
Van Bael & Bellis (Brussels, Belgium), Associate and then Counsel (2001-2022)
Geradin Partners (Brussels, Belgium), Senior counsel (2022-2023)
Atsumi & Sakai Europa GmbH - Rechtsanwälte und Steuerberater(Frankfurt am Main, Germany), Partner (2023-2024)

Member

Academic Society for Competition Law (ASCOLA)

Publications

  • "EU Competition Law and the Promotion of European Champions (Gleanings from the Research) (in Japanese)," EU ho Kenkyu (Review of European Law) (Tokyo) No.18, pp. 125-129 (February 2026)

  • “The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation: Current and Future Challenges,” Kousei Torihiki No. 880 (February 2024)
  • Legal Professional Privilege in EU Competition Investigations, Edward Elgar Publishing (2023)
  • “Proposals for Legal Professional Privileges in EU Competition Investigations,” Market and Competition Law Review (Porto)Vol.6 No.1(April 2022)
  • “The Impact of EU Competition Law on the European Green Deal,” Kousei Torihiki No. 855 (January 2022)
  • “EU Competition Policy in the Context of European Green Deal,” KOKUSAI SHOJI HOMU Vol.48 No.3 (March 2020)
  • “Legal Professional Privilege in EU competition investigations,” KOKUSAI SHOJI HOMU Vol.47 No.7 (July 2019)
  • “A Proposal to Reform the Fining Methods in Japanese Competition Law Investigations in light of EU Competition Law Practice,” NBL  No.1101 (July 2017)
  • “The Fining Methods in the EU Competition Investigations (2),” NBL  No.1093 (March 2017)
  • “The Fining Methods in the EU Competition Investigations (1),” NBL  No.1090 (January 2017)
  • “25 years after Introduction of EU Merger Control: Actual Status and Future Perspectives,” Shojihomu No. 2079 (September 2015)
  • “Current Situation and Reform of EU Block Exemption Regulation in Maritime Transport,”  KAIUN, The Japan Shipping Exchange, Inc. (October 2014)
  • Competition law and policy in Japan and the EU, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing (January 2014)
  • “Recent developments in Japan’s Merger Control System,” (with Mel Marquis), in Philip Lowe and Mel Marquis (ed.), European Competition Law Annual 2010, Oxford, Hart Publishing (February 2013)
  • “The Sun Also Sets: Trending Away from Japanese Exceptionalism in Merger Control and Closer to Global Standards,” Competition Policy International: Asia Antitrust Column (Chicago),1(8) with Mel Marquis (February 2012)
  • “EU Competition Strategy in the Global Economy - the Example of the Proposed Joint Venture between BHP/Rio Tinto -,” KOKUSAI SHOJI HOMU Vol.39 No.3 (March 2011)
  • “Competition Law of the European Community,” and “Competition Law of the European Union,” Van Bael & Bellis, Alphen aan den Rijn, Kluwer Law International, December 2009 (fifth ed.) and March 2021 (sixth ed.)
  • “A selection of recent developments in EU competition law (2007 and first semester 2008)” (with Ivo Van Bael), in Gustavo Ghidini, Berardino Libonati, Piergaetano Marchetti (ed.), Concorrenza e Mercato 16/2008, Milan, Giuffrè Editore (May 2009)
  • “EU Merger Control in the Global economy - BHP Billiton/Rio Tinto case - ,” NBL No. 905 (May 2009)
  • “Pro-consumer efficiencies in competition law and practice in Japan and the EU,” in Gustavo Ghidini, Berardino Libonati, Piergaetano Marchetti (ed.), Concorrenza e Mercato 15/2007, Milan, Giuffrè Editore (September 2008)
  • “Efficiency claims in Japanese merger control: a comparative overview,” in Gustavo Ghidini, Berardino Libonati, Piergaetano Marchetti (ed.), Concorrenza e Mercato 13-14/2005-2006, Milan, Giuffrè Editore (February 2007)
  • “Developments in EU competition law in 2004 and 2005,” (with Ivo Van Bael), in Gustavo Ghidini, Berardino Libonati, Piergaetano Marchetti (ed.), Concorrenza e Mercato 13-14/2005-2006, Milan, Giuffrè Editore (February 2007)
  • “Leniency Policy in EU and Japan: A Step towards a Globally Harmonised Leniency?,” Boletin Latinoamericano de Competencia (Brussels), No. 22 (November 2006)
  • “Revised European Commission Guidelines for Setting Fines in Antitrust Cases,” KOKUSAI SHOJI HOMU Vol.34 No.11 (November 2006)
  • “Main developments of EU competition law in 2003,” (with Ivo Van Bael), in Gustavo Ghidini, Berardino Libonati, Piergaetano Marchetti (ed.), Concorrenza e Mercato 12/2004, Milan, Giuffrè Editore (January 2005)
  • “EU Cartel Control and International Cooperation,” in Akira Ishikawa (ed.), International Economic Law and Regional Cooperation, Shinzan-sha (January 2005)
  • “The Reform of the EU merger regulation,” KOKUSAI SHOJI HOMU Vol.30 No.3 (March 2002)
  • “The Arbitrability of EU Competition Law,” KOKUSAI SHOJI HOMU, Vol.28 No.11 (November 2000)
  • “Envisaged EU/US Mutual Assistance Agreement on the exchange of confidential information in antitrust matters,” KOKUSAI SHOJI HOMU Vol.28 No.2 (February 2000)

Newsletters

  • “Japanese Companies and Recent EU Cartel Investigations” (November 13, 2025) [co-authored]
  • “The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation from a Practitioner’s Perspective and Its Impact on Japanese Companies” (July 2, 2025) [co-authored]

Seminars

  • “Latest Practice of EU Competition Law that Matters to Japanese Companies”, hosted by The Mission of Japan to the European Union, July 3, 2025
  • Panelist at a panel discussion entitled “Attorney-Client Privilege under EU Competition Law,” at an event entitled “CompLaw: Advanced EU,” hosted by Informa Competition Law, May 15-16, 2025
  • “The Latest Developments of EU Competition Law,” at the EU Compliance seminar, hosted by The Mission of Japan to the European Union, July 12, 2024
  • “The Latest Developments of EU Competition Law,” at the seminar on Competition Laws of Foreign Countries, hosted by Kousei Torihiki Kyoukai/Fair Trade Institute, March 2024
  • “The Latest Developments of EU Competition Law -Recent Important Examinations and Court Decisions as well as New Legislation and Proposed Amendments-,” hosted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the United Kingdom, November 22, 2023
  • Monthly meeting entitled “Updates and Points to Note on EU Competition Law,” hosted by the Japanese Institute of International Business Law, Inc., April 2023
  • “The latest developments of EU competition law,” at the seminar on Competition Laws of Foreign Countries, hosted by Kousei Torihiki Kyoukai/Fair Trade Institute, November 2022
  • “EU competition law and sustainability,” hosted by Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Düsseldorf, September 2022
  • “The Reform of Vertical Restraints under EU Competition,” hosted by Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Düsseldorf, October 2021
  • “EU competition law and the European Green Deal,” hosted by Japan Fair Trade Commission (Competition Policy Research Center), May 2021
  • “The latest developments of EU competition law,” at the seminar on Competition Laws of Foreign Countries, hosted by Kousei Torihiki Kyoukai/Fair Trade Institute, January 2021
  • “Legal Professional Privilege in EU competition investigations and suggestions to Japan for its own acknowledgement,” hosted by the Japan Business Federation, June 2019
  • “The latest developments of EU competition law affecting Japanese business,” at the seminar on Competition Laws of Foreign Countries, hosted by Kousei Torihiki Kyoukai/Fair Trade Institute, July 2018
  • “The impact of Brexit on EU competition law,” hosted by the Japanese Institute of International Business Law, Inc., December 2017
  • “The impact of Brexit on EU competition law,” hosted by The 21st Century Public Policy Institute, October 2017
  • “The EU-Japan Strategic Partnership on Competition: From the Agreement on Cooperation on Anticompetitive Activities to the FTA/EPA,” at the EU/Japan Forum, October 2016
  • “EU fining systems,” at the Antimonopoly Law Research Workshop, hosted by Japan Fair Trade Commission, April 2016
  • “Recent developments of EU cartel control,” at the EU Competition seminar, hosted by The Mission of Japan to the European Union, January 2016
  • “The impact of EU competition policy on cartel control in Japan,” at the 10th Annual Asian Competition Forum conference, December 2014
  • “EU competition enforcement under the new Commissioner,” at the seminar on Competition Laws of Foreign Countries, hosted by Kousei Torihiki Kyoukai/Fair Trade Institute, October 2014
  • ”Recent developments and future perspective of EU competition law,” at the EU Competition seminar, hosted by The Mission of Japan to the European Union, June 2014
  • “Philosophie de la Concurrence en Europe et au Japon,” hosted by University of La Rochelle, February 2013
  • “EU Competition law -recent developments and future perspective-,” at the EU Competition seminar, hosted by The Mission of Japan to the European Union, February 2013
  • “EU cartel control,” at the seminar on Competition Laws of Foreign Countries, hosted by Kousei Torihiki Kyoukai/Fair Trade Institute, June 2011
  • “Vertical agreements under EU competition law - a comparison with the Japanese approach,” hosted by Belgium Japan Association, Chamber of Commerce, May 2011
  • “The recent developments in EU competition procedure - direct settlement procedure, leniency program and dawn raids,” at the EU Competition seminar, hosted by Belgium Japan Association, Chamber of Commerce, September 2010
  • ”EU competition investigations conducted by the European Commission DG COMP and recent landmark cases,” at the EU Competition seminar, hosted by The Mission of Japan to the European Union, March 2010
  • “Dealing with the European Commission DG Competition,” at the EU Competition seminar, hosted by The Mission of Japan to the European Union, March 2007
  • “EU state aid rules in the fields of business taxation and environmental protection,” hosted by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), December 2005
  • “EU state aid control and Belgium Notional Interest Deduction regime,” hosted by Belgium Japan Association, Chamber of Commerce, November 2005
  • “Reform of the EU merger control,” hosted by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), February 2004
  • “EU cartel control,” hosted by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), December 2003
  • “EU and Member States’ merger control,” hosted by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), November 2002
  • “EU cartel control” and “Reform of the EU merger regulation,” hosted by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), October 2002
  • “EU Competition Law and globalization,” hosted by French Chamber of Commerce in Lille and University of Lille, March 2002
  • “EU merger control,” hosted by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), December 2000  
  • Expert Guides 2022
    • Women in Business Law: Competition and Antitrust（Belgium）