Philippe is a leading specialist in EU and UK competition law, trade law and data (GDPR) issues. He is a dual Swiss and British national and works in English and French.
His client base comprises a broad range of aviation and maritime clients, whom he advises on competition, international trade and GDPR issues.
Throughout his career Philippe has represented clients in hearings before the European Commission, the EU General Court, and the Court of Justice of the European Union, as well as national competition authorities. He has practised in Brussels, including an internship with the European Commission’s Legal Service, and London. He has also had experience of government service: he is a former legal counsel at the United Nations in Rome, and legal adviser on EU competition law and international treaties at HM Treasury Solicitors.
Expertise
- EU competition law
- EU external trade agreements
- EU litigation
- EU data law, including the GDPR
Experience
Maritime industry
- Advisor to global alliances of liner shipping operators on EU competition compliance
- Advisor to several Asian global liner shipping operators
- Represented defendants in EU investigations of parcel tankers, maritime car carriers, and liner pricing
- Represented Asian carriers in an EU regulatory review of Consortia legislation
- EU counsel to the Far Eastern Freight Conference, including representation as advocate in the EU Courts and Commission hearings on TAA, TACA, FEFC proceedings 1989–2008
- Advised yacht manufacturers, ferry and cruise operators on EU compliance
- Secretary, European Maritime Law Organisation, 1992–1999
Aviation industry
- Advisor to EU and non-EU airlines on numerous joint ventures (code share agreements etc.), alliances, agreements with suppliers, EU merger control
- Represented airline in Airfreight cartel proceedings
- Represented airlines in GDPR compliance programmes
- Advised on the EU Regulation against unfair pricing by non-EU airlines (Regulation 868/2004) and proposed new third-country aviation competition regulation
Inland transport (rail and road) industry
- Advised on the establishment of joint freight train services
- Advised on the creation of joint container depots
- Represented a logistics operator in the Office of Rail Regulation investigation (2015)
International trade
- Represented former CIS exporters in EU anti-dumping proceedings
- Advised a global tobacco producer on WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
- Represented the UK Consumers Association as interveners in the WTO fisheries dispute settlement proceedings [Peru and others v European Communities (2002)]
- Advised transport and energy undertakings on compliance with the EU sanctions regime against Iran and other countries
- Secretary, World Trade Law Association, 1997–2003
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
“clients say he is ‘knowledgeable and efficient’. He is particularly well versed in European competition law and has sector-specific knowledge within the aviation and maritime sector.”Chambers UK 2016
“One of the best known lawyers in liner shipping circles” Lloyd’s List, 2014
“One of Europe’s foremost maritime competition experts” Lloyd’s List, 2012
“very thorough and highly responsive”, with “strong expertise in maritime and aviation matters” Chambers and Partners
Founder of the European Maritime Law Organisation (EMLO) and EMLO Secretary-General 1992-1999
Co-founder (with Iain MacVay) of the World Trade Law Association (WTLA) and Secretary of the WTLA 1996-2003
Publications:
Books
- The WTO and International Trade Regulation (Cameron May, 1998)
- The Impact of the WTO on International Trade (Cameron May, 1998)
- Liberalisation and Protectionism in the World Trading System (Cameron May, 1999)
- Due Process in WTO Dispute Settlement (Cameron May, 2001)
- Shawcross & Beaumont: Air Law (multi-author survey): co-editor, ‘Competition/EU’ section (2012–4)
- (forthcoming) Butterworths Competition Law: contributor to chapter on EU and UK competition law in shipping
Chapters in books
- The Long Road to Unity: The Contribution of Law to the Process of European Integration, 1945–1995′ in Pagden (ed), The Idea of Europe: From Antiquity to the European Union (Cambridge University Press, 2002)
- ‘The WTO Agreement in European Community Law: Status, Effect and Enforcement’ in Macrory, Appleton and Plummer (eds) with Marc Weisberger, The World Trade Organization: Legal, Economic and Political Analysis (Kluwer 2005)
- ‘Dispute Resolution in WTO law’ in Bernstein’s Handbook of Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Practice (4th edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2003)
- ‘Anti-dumping Regulations and Practices’ (with particular reference to EU law) and ‘Mechanism for Regulating Environmental Barriers to Trade within the WTO’ in Marc Weisberger and Fiona Mucklow, A Handbook of World Trade: ICC (2004)
- Numerous articles on EU competition law in the maritime and aviation sectors, including ‘The Commission’s Proposed New EU Regulation Safeguarding Competition in International Aviation Services’ (2018) European Competition Law Review
Career
Philippe qualified as a solicitor in 1992. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2018, he worked at the following firms:
- Ince & Co
- Fieldfisher
- Clyde & Co
- Rowe Maw