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..
Bart Van Vooren, partnerleads a dynamic practice at the intersection of EU regulatory law, global health, and biodiversity law. In these fields, he advises innovative pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and technology companies on complex EU and global regulatory, compliance and policy assignments.
Bart holds a Ph.D. in EU and International Law and was a professor of EU law until 2013. During that time, he wrote the first-ever handbook with Cambridge University Press on “EU External Relations Law” (2014). He then transitioned to private practice, and frequently acted for the Belgian government before the EU Court of Justice (e.g. C-16/16P Belgium vs Commission). Bart joined Covington in 2016, leading some of our most consequential EU litigation proceedings (e.g. C-311/18 “Schrems II”) over the years. Having handled nearly 50 cases before the EU Court, he’s uniquely qualified to support our corporate clients in our most high-stakes disputes. Recent examples include T-189/21 Aloe Vera of Europe v Commission (which we won, so the Commission decided to appeal); as well as T-201/21 Covington & Burling and Van Vooren v Commission (which we also won, and hence is also on appeal).
As a pioneer in biodiversity law, over the past 15 years Bart has built a unique, global practice on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) laws under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Nagoya Protocol, the Plant Treaty, the High Seas Treaty and the WHO Pandemic Agreement. ABS compliance is critical when sourcing biological materials for life sciences R&D and I work with many of the world's innovative life sciences companies on the whole range of e.g. transactional, contractual, compliance, IP, (EU) regulatory and litigation work relating to ABS. As biodiversity has increasingly become identified as a major commercial and financial risk to companies, so has the practice expanded to e.g. biodiversity credit markets, biodiversity insurance, biodiversity claims and advertising, and so on. Since April 2025, Bart has been appointed as the industry representative to the Steering Committee of the UN Biodiversity Fund that seeks funding from the private sector for biodiversity conservation and restoration.
Bart also pioneered our global health practice. He has advised pharmaceutical clients on seasonal and pandemic influenza since 2016. Since then, this practice area expanded to cover all matters relating to infectious diseases, and as of 2020, emergency preparedness and response (eg. WHO prequalification, International Coordination Group negotiations, Emergency Use Listing, International Health Regulations Rev 2024). He has been the pharmaceutical industry’s lead lawyer advising on the WHO Pandemic Treaty negotiations, adopted on 14 May 2025. Currently, he continues to advise on the work of the Intergovernmental Working Group (“IGWG”) teasing out the technical details of the “Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System” intended to create legally binding obligations on companies to commit vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics in case of a new global health emergency.
In Chambers rankings, clients have kindly described Bart as “very knowledgeable, action-focused and service-focused lawyer", adding that he “really tries to find a way of working through challenges”, am “customer-oriented” and provide “sound advice and reasonable options for our business with pros and cons."
Finally, Bart has an active pro bono practice assisting NGOs defending the human rights of persons with a disability through strategic litigation before the EU Court.
T-613/19 European Network for Independent Living and Validity vs European Commission - re. UN Disability Convention.
T-549/18 Hexal v European Medicines Agency - re. New Active Substance status.
Case C-311/18, Data Protection Commissioner v. Facebook Ireland and Maximillian Schrems, representing the Software Alliance.
Drafting multiple guidelines and SOPs on compliance with the Nagoya Protocol for pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics companies.
Advice on organizing complex supply chains for gene therapy and other advanced therapies in light of e.g. EU rules on cells and tissues, and the ATMP Regulation.
Advice to pharmaceutical companies on EU regulatory matters, e.g. orphan exclusivity, regulatory exclusivity, SPCs, referral procedures, paediatrics, variations, GMP.
Assistance to trade associations and companies in the pharmaceutical, and agri-food sectors on EU GMO rules.
Multiple regulatory due diligences to support mergers and acquisitions in the food industry.
Assistance on national ABS laws under the Nagoya Protocol in more than 21 jurisdictions, including e.g. Australia, Canada, China, Falkland Islands, France, French Polynesia, India, Indonesia, La Réunion, Madagascar, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, and Switzerland.
T-329/16 Bristol Myers Squibb vs. Commission & European Medicines Agency, seeking annulment of withdrawal of orphan designation prior to marketing authorization.
Drafting and advice on Chinese access and benefit-sharing legislation implementing the Nagoya Protocol.
Advice on a pathogen marked as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under Regulation 511/2014 on compliance with the Nagoya Protocol.
Three annulment procedures before the EU General Court concerning the remission of paid excess tariffs (Cases T-603/13, T-171/14 and T-125/16).
Preliminary reference to the EU Court of Justice on the direct effect of a WTO bound tariff in the EU (Case C-306/13).
Two direct actions before the EU General Court, concerning Regulation 511/2014 on access and benefit sharing to genetic resources implementing the Nagoya Protocol for the EU (Cases T-559/14 and T-560/14).
Representing the Belgian government in more than a dozen procedures before the EU General Court, the EU Court of Justice, and the EFTA Court. Including case C-16/16P Belgium v. Commission, seeking annulment of a Commission act that harmonizes consumer protection rules.
Counsel for two trade associations intervening before the EU General Court in procedures challenging Commission bans on agrochemicals and treated seeds (Cases T-429/13, T-584/13 and T-451/13).
Multi-year EU regulatory and public policy support for a sectoral harmonizing Directive. Recent engagements have included the adoption of delegated and implementing acts (comitology), standardization, and follow-up of national implementing laws throughout the 28 EU Member States.
Counsel for the applicant in Case T-655/11, resulting in a 25% reduction of the fine imposed for a banana cartel. Currently on appeal (Case C-469/15P), focusing on procedural irregularities.
Wide-ranging EU regulatory support for a large European trade association in the gaming sector. Issues covered included the fourth anti-money laundering Directive, the general data protection Regulation, the audio-visual services Directive, CEN standardization processes, and the Council of Europe Convention on match-fixing.
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