Florence Competition Autumn School

The Autumn School caters to mid-career professionals seeking to deepen their expertise and practical skills in the dynamic fields of competition law and economics. Participants will have the unique opportunity to tap into the vast knowledge and academic excellence of distinguished instructors, empowering them to stay at the forefront of their respective industries. The course is particularly beneficial for:

• Officials from National Competition Authorities, government agencies, and regulatory bodies.

• Associates and partners in law firms specializing in competition law.

• In-house counsels managing competition compliance matters.

• Economic consultants specialising in industrial economics.

• Competition scholars, including doctoral researchers, post-docs, and professors.

• Advocacy officers focused on competition policy and regulatory affairs.

• Specialised journalists reporting for legal information providers.

For professionals seeking to expand their international network of connections within the competitive policy landscape, the ‘residential track’ of the Autumn School provides an ideal setting amidst the captivating beauty of Florence.

• Enhance your comprehension of the framework and essence of EU competition regulations.

• Refine your analytical skills to effectively navigate competition law cases and overcome workplace challenges.

• Foster a comprehensive and interdisciplinary understanding of competitive dynamics and pertinent issues, enriching your contributions to your organisation.

• Stay abreast of the most recent enforcement cases, regulatory advancements, and legislative updates.

• Exchange insights and expertise with fellow participants from diverse sectors and industries.

• Expand your professional network with like-minded individuals who share similar interests and possess complementary expertise.

• Early bird fee: 1200€  (Deadline for early bird registration is 31 July 2025)

• Regular fee: 1500 €

• National Regulatory Authorities, National Competition Authorities, Full-time academics, as well as partners and donors of the Centre for a Digital Society: 1200 €

• Post-graduate students: 1000€

• Group enrolment discounted fee – applicable to groups of three or more participants from the same institution: €1000

The course provides participants with access to a variety of online resources, including background readings, videos, and lecture recordings. It also includes lunches and refreshments throughout the duration of the programme, as well as the opportunity to attend the CDS Autumn Conference (9-10 October 2025).

We encourage prospective residential track participants to register as early as possible so they can start planning their travel to Florence and accommodation well in advance. Please note that we have secured special rates with several hotels in Florence. If you wish to take advantage of these offers, we kindly ask you to contact digital.society@eui.eu at your earliest convenience, as availability is limited and rooms will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The EUI Widening Europe Programme offers up to 4 scholarships to support the participation of selected applicants to the 2025 Florence Competition Autumn School.

Each scholarship will provide € 1000 to help cover travel expenses and accommodation in Florence for the selected participants. The grant amount is contingent on attendance at the Autumn School and its final Conference. A daily signature will be required, and any absences will reduce the grant—specifically, €200 for each missed day.

Please note that this scholarship does not cover the course tuition fees.

Eligibility conditions:

Applicants must be nationals of one of the countries targeted by the Widening Europe programme:
Inside the European Union: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Outside the European Union: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo(1), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

(1) This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244(1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Applicants must be affiliated with an academic institution based in a country targeted by the Widening Europe programme (e.g., students currently enrolled in a master’s/doctoral program; postdoctoral researchers, lecturers, or professors).
Applicants should submit their applications via this application form. Each application must include a CV, proof of nationality, and documentation of their affiliation with an academic institution based in a country targeted by the Widening Europe programme. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all scholarships have been allocated. Applicants will be notified of the outcome within 10 working days.

After being selected for the scholarship, the applicants should complete the course registration form and the payment of the tuition fee to confirm their seat.

The Florence Competition Autumn School covers both substantive and procedural aspects of competition law and economics with both frontal lectures and practical group exercises. In particular, the School includes frontal lectures and group exercises. Every class lasts 75 minutes: 60 minutes of presentation by the speaker + 15 minutes of Q&A session, in order to incentivize the interaction between the instructor and the participants. During the group exercises, participants will face mock dawn-raids, leniency applications and trials before the EU General Court.

Certificates

At the end of the course, participants who have regularly attended the Autumn School classes will receive a ‘Certificate of Participation’.

The certificates are granted by the European University Institute, a leading post-graduate research centre founded in 1972 by the Member States of the European Union.

Continuing Professional Development

The course’s final certificate can be recognised for training credits by legal professional bodies in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, and Ireland, depending on their individual accreditation processes.

Other countries

If you need assistance in liaising with your bar association for accreditation, please contact us at digital.society@eui.eu and we will assist with the process.

For more detailed information, you may check the programme of the previous editions of the Autumn School.