Lourdes Catrain
Partner Global Regulatory
Brussels
Madrid
Languages
English, Italian, French, Spanish
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Overview
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Experience
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Credentials
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Insights and events
Chambers Global 2020"Her vast knowledge and experience is calming in the most stressful situations; she is very diplomatic in the way she handles everything," says one source. "She is always clear from a time management perspective and in terms of setting expectations, which makes the work easy to manage from our side."
According to clients, Lourdes' "vast knowledge and experience is calming in the most stressful situations". Her practice focuses on international trade law and policy, including market access and regulatory matters involving economic sanctions, export controls, customs, and environmental and competition law issues relating to trade.
In the area of economic sanctions, in addition to advisory work, she's regularly involved in securing licenses, voluntary disclosures and related investigations and in assisting corporates with compliance programmes.
She helps governments and industry in anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations. In the EU's largest trade dispute with China, solar panels, she represented the interests of a key EU upstream supplier which forcefully defended free trade. She's secured an amendment on the product scope of the UK measures on behalf of a leading US fuels producer.
Lourdes' in-depth knowledge of the EU institutions and the WTO has allowed her to assist governments to navigate free trade and investment negotiations. She also advises on WTO compatibility of EU trade and regulatory measures which impact trade (e.g., CBAM).
Lourdes also led the FDIs filings related to EUR12.3bn acquisition by GE of Alstom's energy activities.
She advises clients in a broad range of industries and services, including: life sciences, oil and gas, agricultural, chemicals, electronics, steel and general consumer goods sectors.
Chambers Europe 2023“Lourdes Catrain is reputed for her expertise in sanctions and export embargoes. Her impressive experience also includes interventions in EU anti-dumping expiry reviews and tariff matters.”“She gives practical, crisp advice rather than a theoretical thesis.”
Representative experience
Secured a significant victory for Pfizer in a case before the EU Court of Justice, case C-182/19, in relation to the customs classification of Thermacare.
Obtaining the annulment before the EU General Court of Qualitest's listing in the EU Iran Sanctions Regulation T-421/11.
Successful representation of the Government of Indonesia in the EU anti-subsidy investigation concerning imports of biodiesel.
Acting for a leading polysilicon manufacturer in the EU anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations against solar panels originating from China.
Assisting a sovereign government in Latin America in its successful free trade agreement negotiations with the EU.
Assisting a leading Spanish renewable corporation to navigate through the EU Russia economic sanctions including its divestment of assets in Russia.
Acting for various oil and gas western corporations with economic sanctions matters including securing licenses authorizations from various EU Member States.
Assisting a major U.S. industrial petrochemical conglomerate on a voluntary self disclosure in connection with a breach of export control laws in several EU jurisdictions.
Assisting a major U.S. services provider on addressing export control issues in its acquisition of assets in the EU.
Representing DelSolar Ltd. in the EU anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations against solar panels originating from China.
Advising Alcatel-Lucent on U.S. and EU export control and sanctions issues in connection to the sale of Alcatel-Lucent to Nokia. In particular, we handled the due diligence and regulatory filings.
Providing one of the world’s leading diversified mining and smelting groups on-going operational legal advice on economic sanctions, including sensitive operational and financial questions.
Advising various clients on EU customs requirements, including classification, valuation and rules of origin, and internal procedures.
Advising a global pharmaceutical corporate with respect to the review of its customs valuation following the ruling of the Hamamatsu (C-529/16) court case.
Assisted a Middle East country on a valuation matter concerning whether fees paid under an exclusive distribution agreement should be added to the customs value of imported goods.
Credentials
- J.D. Facultad de Derecho, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- LL.M., University of Michigan Law School
- Brussels (E-List)
- Madrid