Profile
Edoardo Gambaro focuses his practice on Italian and European antitrust law. He represents Italian and foreign companies in proceedings before the European Commission in the application of Articles 101, 102, and 108 of the TFEU (cartel, abuse of dominant position and state aid matters). He also advises on EU procedural law, assisting companies in appellate proceedings before the EU General Court and the EU Court of Justice. He represents companies before the Italian Antitrust Authority and on appeal before the Italian administrative Courts.
Edoardo is experienced in the field of merger control, both at national and EU levels, and has advised various U.S. and European corporations on merger control filings. He has also dealt with other aspects of EU law, such as telecommunications law, pharmaceuticals law, freedom of establishment, and the free movement of services and capital, representing several companies before the Court of Justice in preliminary references submitted by Italian courts. Moreover, he has experience in the control of foreign investments in Italy (so-called 'golden power').
Concentrations
- Competition and EU regulatory law
- European Union law
- State Aid
- EU procedural law
- EU distribution law
- F.I.R. Foreign Investment Review
- Investigations
- Merger Control
- Litigation and dispute resolution
Capabilities
Experience
- Obtained the annulment of an EU Commission decision concerning an Italian bank before the EU Court of Justice.
- Advised an Italian energy company on public contracts and State aid issues.
- Represented a competitor of State aid recipients in a direct action before the European Court of Justice (ECJ).°
- Involved in the defense of several major Italian banks before the ECJ with respect to the validity of an Italian law deemed to be an illegal State aid.°
- Advised a major energy and utility company before the ECJ in relation to a preliminary reference concerning interests accrued on a negative State aid decision of the European Commission.°
- Assisting a shipping and ferry service operator in a State aid investigation.°
- Regularly advises on complaints to the European Commission against State aid measures.°
- Assisted a pharmaceutical operator in the antitrust assessment of a partnership for the development of new product with one of its main competitors.
- Assisted a major Italian commercial bank in the antitrust assessment of its partnership with a global asset management company.
- Represented a leading Italian operator in the payment services sector in its filing before the IAA of the acquisition of a major competitor.
- Represented a leading Italian bank in the filing before the IAA of the acquisition of a competitor.
- Obtained numerous EU and Italian merger clearances and coordinated multi-national clearances for clients in a variety of industries.°
- Advised in coordination with U.S. and non-EU lawyers on several multi-jurisdictional cartel investigations.°
- Successfully defended before the EU General Court a steel producer fined for alleged cartel activities.°
- Assisted the national association of the hoteliers in the appeal of the decision of the Italian Antitrust Authority (IAA) on MFN clauses.°
- Represented the Italian association of hotels in a litigation before the Italian administrative courts and a preliminary ruling procedure before the EU Court of Justice concerning the compliance of the Italian fiscal regime applicable online and intermediaries with EU Law.
- Acted on behalf of a large-scale retail group in the sector inquiry launched by the IAA.°
- Assisted several companies in proceedings opened by the IAA for unfair commercial practices or misleading advertising.°
- Successfully represented one of the leading Italian pharma operators before the Court of Milan in a stand-alone lawsuit for abuse of dominant position brought by two competitors.
- Represented a major EU player in the sealant market in an abuse of dominance/economic dependance case against a major global chemical player.
- Assisted a leading IT operator in various stand-alone competition cases brought by commercial partners before Italian courts.°
- Represented a main supplier in the automotive industry in a stand- alone competition and abuse of economic dependence case.°
- Assisted a major Italian farmers association before Italian administrative courts defending a decree requiring the indication of the origin of the wheat used for pasta.°
- Assisted several Italian companies providing interception services as complainants in an infringement proceeding opened by the European Commission against Italy and before the EU Court of Justice.
- Representing a major player in the hotel industry in proceedings for a preliminary ruling before the Court of Justice.
- Assisting numerous Italian and foreign companies in foreign investment notification proceedings before the Italian Prime Minister's Office.
- Represented two leading telecom companies before the ECJ in relation to a preliminary reference on the interpretation of the directive on general authorizations and individual licenses.°
- Involved in the assistance of a telecom operator in relation to a preliminary reference to the ECJ on the level of contributions required to licensed telecommunications operators for providing services to private customers.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Gambaro prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig Santa Maria, an affiliate of Greenberg Traurig, P.A. and Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
- Teaching Fellow, EU Law and EU Procedural Law, Bicocca University (Milan)
- Invited Professor, Public Services and Antitrust, State Aid and EU Law, LUISS University (Rome), 2021 - present
- Invited Professor, Antitrust Law, Bicocca University (Milan), 2018 - present
- Visiting Lecturer, EU Competition Law, Postgraduate Course “Diritto e Impresa” – Business School24, Milan, 2017-present
Recognition & Leadership
- Selected, Best Lawyers in Italy, Competition / EU Law, 2024-2025
- Listed, Chambers Europe, Competition/European Law, 2023-2024
- Listed, Legal 500 EMEA, EU, Regulatory & Competition – Italy, 2015-2019, 2022-2024
- Legalcommunity
- “Lawyer of the year - Competition Antitrust 2019” – Corporate Awards, 2019
- “Best Practice State Aid” – Corporate Awards, 2020
- TopLegal
- “Lawyer of the year - Litigation before the European Courts” Toplegal Awards 2020
- Member, Milan Bar Association, 2003-Present
- Member, Italian Antitrust Association
Credentials
Education
- M.Sc., Economics in Competition Law, Centre of European Law, King’s College, 2007
- LL.M., European Law, College of Europe, Bruges, 2000
- J.D., University of Milan, 1998
Admissions
- Italy (admitted to Supreme Court)
- European Courts
Languages
- Italian, Native
- English, Fluent
- French, Fluent
- Spanish, Conversational