SVEN DE KNOP leads the firms EU trade team and the firm's investment screening work outside the U.S. He focuses his practice on international trade law and EU law and regulations, with a particular focus on:
- Trade controls (economic sanctions and export controls)
- Subsidy controls (under the EU’s Anti-Subsidy Regulation and Foreign Subsidies Regulation) and (other) trade defense proceedings (anti-dumping and safeguard measures)
- Investment controls (foreign direct investment screening)
- Trade restrictive measures affecting free movement in the EU and general market access (including supply chain due diligence and reporting requirements, forced labor, the European Green Deal, and emissions and battery regulation)
- Customs
Sven regularly advises clients on international enforcement actions. He also assists clients in understanding how the relevant legal framework applies to their businesses, in the design and implementation of compliance programs, and with internal investigations and compliance audits.
A significant part of his practice concerns transactional work, where he assists in identifying and mitigating trade, investment, and subsidy controls risks. In that regard, he coordinates multi-jurisdictional due diligence and filings.
Sven further represents clients in administrative proceedings involving the European institutions, as well as in judicial proceedings before the EU and Member State authorities and courts.
- Sven has notable experience representing clients before the European Commission, having represented clients before a wide range of Directorate-Generals, including Trade, COMP, GROW, MOVE, AGRI, SANTE, SG, TAXUD, and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
- Sven regularly represents clients in judicial proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union and Member State courts. He has represented clients before the Court of Justice in cases concerning anti-subsidy and anti-dumping regulation, free movement, customs, environment, life sciences regulation, access to documents, competition law, and damages actions in direct actions, interventions, references for preliminary rulings from national courts, appeals, and interim measures. He also has experience pleading before the courts of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.
Sven has been recognized by Chambers as a leading practitioner since 2013. Additional recent praise for his client service and legal acumen includes:
- In the 2024 editions of Chambers Europe and Chambers Global for International Trade/WTO, a client comments that “Sven provides very strong and precise advice. He handles the coordination inside the firm and communication very efficiently and professionally” and he is "responsive, provides good practical advice and is a great overall lawyer."
- In the 2023 editions of Chambers Europe and Global for International Trade/WTO, a client notes that Sven “supports our cases with great commitment.”
- In the 2022 editions of Chambers Europe and Global for International Trade/WTO, a client describes him as “business-oriented, practical, and calm in crisis,” further noting that he is “good at pointing out gaps to prevent potential future problems.”
- In Chambers Europe 2021, clients commented that his “advice on contract negotiation and compliance terms was extremely practical, and married with processes we already had in place.”
- In the International Trade/WTO chapter of Chambers Europe and Chambers Global 2020, clients note that “he has a razor-sharp mind and his analytical abilities are simply astounding, resulting in the perfect litigator and debater.”
- In Chambers Europe and Chambers Global 2019, Sven is highlighted for his “brilliant legal mind” and for being “extremely efficient.”
- Who’s Who Legal 2021-2024 — Recommended for Trade. A client comments that he “deserves the nomination for being a great lawyer with special expertise in international and EU trade law” (2020).