Dr. Oliver Koch, Belgium

Merger Regulation (Module 3)

Energy Regulation from a European Perspective (Module 7)

Dr. Oliver Koch is Deputy Head of Unit in the Internal Market Unit of the Commission's Energy Directorate-General. His team is responsible for the creation of the regulatory framework for an integrated EU electricity and gas market. His Unit is notably co-ordinating the so-called "Market Design Initiative", i.e. the legislative proposal for a comprehensive review and update of the current internal market legislation on electricity. He also coordinates the legal work of the Unit, notably concerning the enforcement of EU rules vis-à-vis Member States, as well as the teams dealing with external aspects of the internal energy market (e.g. negotiations with Switzerland, Norway, the Energy Community or Russia). In 2015 he has led the team setting up a new security of supply Unit within DG Energy.

Before joining DG Energy, he worked in DG Competition in the field of energy antitrust (2007 – 2012) and merger control (2003 – 2007), where he has dealt with antitrust and merger cases in the field of energy and other sectors and was involved in several policy projects concerning energy and competition law.

Prior to joining the Commission, he worked as a lawyer in private practice (White & Case, Hamburg/Brussels, Freshfields/Düsseldorf) and as an assistant lecturer (University of Göttingen).

He publishes regularly on energy and competition policy.