Broadcom Loses Court Bid to Block EU Antitrust Document Request
A European Union court has rejected Broadcom's request to suspend an antitrust investigation that requires the U.S. chipmaker to provide legal documents protected by attorney-client privilege in a case involving its acquisition of VMware, which it completed in 2023. Broadcom had argued before Luxembourg’s General Court—Europe’s second-highest—that the European Commission's demand for these documents violated U.S. legal protections related to confidential communications between lawyers and clients. The court ruled against Broadcom, stating that the EU competition authority has the right to determine what information is necessary to investigate potential violations of antitrust laws. The decision underscores a broader tension over cross-border enforcement practices where different jurisdictions apply varying standards for attorney-client privilege.
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Topics: EU antitrust legal U.S. legal privilege