Strengthening Due Process and Public Advocacy: Why the EC Should Open its Oral Hearings to the Press

With European Commission regulators coming under pressure from all sides to improve procedures and tackle allegations of not respecting due process in its investigations, the function of the oral hearings held in merger and antitrust cases and the role of the Hearing Officer who presides over them are facing particular scrutiny. The hearings taking place in Brussels into competition and antitrust cases are shrouded in secrecy and, depending on who you talk to (and wh