Sébastien Thomas is a Counsel in the EU Financial & Competition Law practice of Arendt & Medernach. He specialises in EU and Luxembourg competition law and in EU State aid law in particular.
Sébastien advises a wide range of both national and international public and private clients on EU and competition law and sectoral regulation.
- Bachelor’s in Law from the University of Namur (Belgium).
- Master’s in Law from the Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium).
- LL.M. in International Law from the University of Groningen (Netherlands).
- LL.M. in European Legal Studies from the College of Europe (Belgium).
- EU Law Live – Op-Ed | “The Extent of the Commission’s Duty to state Reasons when examining the Compatibility of a State Aid Measure – and some Aspects which are indissolubly linked to it – in the Light of other Provisions and Principles of EU Law (Case C-490/23 P, Neos v Ryanair and Commission)”
- EU Law Live – Analysis | “Is a ‘Socio’ of FC Barcelona an ‘interested Party’ entitled to lodge a State Aid Complaint for Breach of financial fair Play Rules by other football Clubs?: PBL and Abdelmouine / Commission (C-224/23 P)”
- EU Law Live’s Comptetition Corner | “Turbulence in the State aid sky: Selectivity as a new justification for discrimination under Articles 107(2)(b) and 107(3)(b) TFEU? An analysis of the Ryanair-COVID cases”, by Sébastien Thomas
- EU Law Live – Op-Ed | “Taking the principle of impartiality seriously in State aid procedures (Case T-486/18 RENV, Danske Slagtermestre v Commission)” by Sébastien Thomas
- EU Law Live – Analysis | “How to grant aid without granting State aid? A little German guide (Case T-409/21, Germany v Commission)” by Sébastien Thomas
- EU Law Live – Analysis | “Judgment of the Court of Justice of 17 November 2022 in Joined Cases Volotea v Commission (C-331/20 P) and easyJet Airline v Commission (C-343/20 P)” by Sébastien Thomas
- Member of the Luxembourg Bar.
- Former member of the European Law Moot Court (ELMC) Society and regular judge at Regional Finals.
- Co-organiser of the annual State aid law conference for EIPA (Luxembourg).
- Prior to joining Arendt, Sébastien worked as a legal secretary (référendaire) for several judges at the CJEU (Judges Berardis and Pynnä at the General Court and Judge Vilaras at the Court of Justice). Sébastien also worked for the European Commission Legal Service (State aid team) between 2010 and 2013 and as an academic assistant at the College of Europe.