Photo of Robert Hardy

Robert Hardy

Dr. Robert Hardy, LL.M. (Harvard) is a Local Partner in the firm’s Amsterdam office. He advises clients on matters spanning a wide spectrum of economic sectors, including consumer products, energy, financial services, manufacturing, life sciences, TMT, and transportation.

Robert focuses his practice on:

  • Antitrust Litigation & Competition Regulation
  • International Trade
  • Regulatory & Compliance.

Antitrust Litigation & Competition Regulation

Robert’s practice covers a wide range of issues under European and Dutch competition law. He represents clients before the European Commission (EC), the Dutch Competition Authority (ACM), the Dutch administrative law courts, and the EU courts in matters relating to cartel defense, abuse of dominance, merger control, and State aid proceedings. Additionally, he represents clients before the Dutch civil law courts on issues relating to antitrust damages claims.

International Trade

Robert provides clients with guidance on ex-U.S. foreign investment review – e.g., foreign direct investment (FDI) / national security regimes –, intellectual property – standard essential patents (SEPs) and FRAND licensing disputes before the Dutch civil law courts –, transactions, import and export controls, and sanctions.

Regulatory & Compliance

Robert advises clients on a diverse range of EU and Dutch regulatory frameworks that impact business matters. He provides proactive and responsive advice and legal risk assessments to clients, assisting with day-to-day business transactions, counseling on the applicability and effect of regulations, and providing guidance on how to mitigate the risks of potential enforcement actions – e.g., helping clients build effective yet practical internal compliance programs, and advising companies on commercial agency, distribution, and franchise arrangements.

Robert is a member of the Amsterdam Sustainability Desk. The Sustainability Desk is available daily and provides assistance and support for real estate sustainability inquiries in the Netherlands and the EU. Please visit our dedicated Sustainability Desk page for more information.

On April 19, 2022, the proposed Dutch Investment Review Act (Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies and overnames) (Act) passed the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer…
Continue Reading Dutch Investment Review Act Passes Dutch House of Representatives

For companies subject to U.S. economic sanctions regimes, compliance is complicated by Regulation (EC) No 2271/96 (EU Blocking Regulation), which was updated in 2018 in light of the U.S. position…
Continue Reading Conflicting EU, US Economic Sanctions Regimes: Implications for Multinational Companies

On Jan. 5, Mr. Mohammed Chamin – a Member of the European Parliament and the “rapporteur” on the proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in the Parliament’s Committee on Environment,…
Continue Reading Possible Amendments to EU Proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

In March 2021, the Council of the European Union adopted Directive 2021/514 amending – for the sixth time – Council Directive 2011/16/EU on administrative cooperation in the field of taxation…
Continue Reading EU’s DAC7: New Tax Reporting Obligations for Platform Operators

On Dec. 9, 2021, the European Commission proposed the Platform Work Package, a set of measures intended to improve the working conditions of persons working through “digital labor platforms” in…
Continue Reading EU Platform Work Package: What Does It Mean for Platform Businesses?