Covington & Burling LLP operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide, with the practice in England and Wales conducted by an affiliated
limited liability multinational partnership, Covington & Burling LLP, which is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware in the United States
and authorized and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with registration number 77071..
Atli Stannard is special counsel in the firm's Public Policy practice. He guides clients in highly regulated industries through complex EU policymaking processes, protecting and advancing their core business and regulatory priorities.
Atli’s practice covers all aspects of EU policymaking and legislative advocacy, including the regulation of the tech, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medical devices, and industrial sectors, and on EU trade, environmental and ESG, and competition policy. He has handled matters before the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of the EU, and Member State and UK governments. Clients rely on him to identify regulatory risks and opportunities, and engage in the policy process to defend and promote their business interests.
Technology: Atli has worked extensively for clients on matters relating to EU data, content, platform, Artificial Intelligence, and competition policy.
Food and beverage: Atli helps clients developing novel plant-based foods to secure the necessary regulatory authorizations and engage in broader EU food policymaking. He regularly engages with EU and national authorities to ensure that health and environmental regulations are based in rigorous scientific evidence. He has drawn on his trade policy expertise to assist clients seeking to import food products into the EU.
Drug & medical devices: Atli has counseled clients and engaged with the EU institutions on matters relating to genomics, the regulation of medical devices and in vitro diagnostics, health technology assessment, orphan medicines, and pricing.
Industrial: Atli helps clients engage with EU and national bodies on the environmental benefits of their innovative technologies, and on EU plastics, chemical, and product regulation.
In his EU trade policy work, Atli regularly advises clients facing on EU market access and customs classification issues, trade defense actions (tariffs and safeguard measures), and non-tariff barriers (including sanitary and phytosanitary measures). He helps clients engage in the EU’s negotiation of new trade agreements. He counsels clients on the impact of the upcoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and how to shape and comply with its requirements.
Atli is a member of the firm’s ESG and Business and Human Rights Practices, and works with clients to assess the impact of and engage with new and upcoming Environmental, Social and Governance rules, including the EU Green Deal, supply chain diligence and the EU’s developing sustainable finance rules.
Atli’s competition policy advocacy work encompasses mergers, challenges under Articles 101 (anticompetitive agreements) and 102 (abuse of dominance) TFEU, and referrals under Article 22 of the EU Merger Regulation.
Atli has counseled international investors extensively on the EU’s proposals for a regime on foreign subsidies, and on the EU’s new FDI screening rules and coordination mechanism, as well as on EU tax policymaking. He also works closely with litigation colleagues to protect clients’ legitimate interests in multiple venues.
Advised major tech clients on EU platform regulation, data transfer, product safety, content moderation, Digital Markets Act, and other tech regulatory initiatives, and engaged with policymakers on their behalf to influence the legislative process.
Advised major beverage manufacturer on EU and national actions on health claims, product recalls, and labeling rules.
Assisted manufacturers of plant-based foods in securing regulatory authorizations and engaging with the broader EU food policy context.
Advised a global genomics company on the EU health policy aspects of a strategic acquisition.
Assisted a medical devices client that manufactured a key component for the production of vaccines in ensuring their product could continue to be supplied under the EU implementation of the Stockholm Convention.
Advised global manufacturing conglomerate on matters including EU and national plastics regulation, medical device recalls, and product safety rules.
Engaged with EU regulators on behalf of a client to launch an investigation of, and a dawn raid on, a key competitor engaged in breaches of EU competition rules.
Advised a global steel manufacturer on EU trade policy matters related to steel safeguards, seeking to protect their legitimate interests in the EU trade regulatory context. The work included both complex legal issues related to the Union Customs Code and policy engagement with DG TRADE and DG TAXUD.
Assisted numerous clients in preparing for hearings before the European Parliament and UK House of Commons Select Committee inquiries.
Advised a major Ukrainian agricultural importer on EU customs rules for import licenses and related reference quantities.
Advised a multinational producer and distributor of medical supplies on the EU’s rules for confiscating shipments in relation to alleged violations of environmental and labor laws.
Advised on EU trade negotiations with various third countries for a multinational client with strong trade and intellectual property interests.
Assisted a major global investor client in engaging with EU proposals on the regulation of foreign subsidies and the screening of foreign direct investment.
Assisted media company facing extortive litigation in an EU Member State in securing a fair trial through careful engagement at the national level and with EU institutions monitoring the rule of law and media freedoms.
Provided strategic policy and regulatory advice to clients in litigation matters.
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