About Pieter Kuypers
Pieter Kuypers is a partner and attorney-at-law at AKD. He is part of the EU and Competition Law team. He specialises in European law and focuses, within this legal field, on procurement, competition (including private enforcement) and State aid law. Pieter has particular knowledge of procurement by the EU institutions (Regulation 2018/1046/EU). Having written a PhD on the choice of forum in private international law (University Leiden, 2008), Pieter also has wide-ranging knowledge of private international law, in particular in the fields of conflicts of jurisdiction and private enforcement of competition rules. He deals with and advises on cases involving care, energy, competition and the government.
Pieter represents businesses, government and semi-government bodies before European and Dutch courts. His clients include Dutch rail track owner ProRail and publishing company Malmberg (Sanoma). They appreciate his smart solutions, strategic advice and practical approach. Pieter’s broad experience and keen legal knowledge help him present compelling advice.
Recent cases
Recently, Pieter was involved in the litigation over the purchase of PCR tests. He represented ProRail in proceedings on the merits and injunctions about public procurement regarding the maintenance of the Dutch railway infrastructure. He also acted for all nature conservation societies in proceedings at the European Court of Justice regarding allegations that they received illegal State aid. In the field of procurement by EU institutions he acted for Imagina Audiovisual SL regarding exclusion decisions.
Education, activities and memberships
After obtaining his PhD in 2008, Pieter became a full professor in European and national procurement law at Radboud University Nijmegen, where he lectures on EU public procurement and competition law. In addition, he lectures on procurement law at the Europäische Rechtswissenschaft Akademie (ERA) in Trier, Germany, and at the Center for Post-academic Education (CPO). He is a professor at the Grotius academy for post-graduate education for public procurement lawyers, teaching public procurement law to lawyers of subnational authorities. He also gives guest lectures at other universities in the Netherlands and abroad.
Pieter publishes regularly and has written several books, for instance on private international law (Choice of forum in private international law, Kluwer 2008), public procurement law (Public procurement law, Boom Basics (2021)), State aid law (EU Staatssteunregels (2020)), civil law (Garanties in de rechtspraktijk (2015)) and his book on the market economy and regulation of social services (2022).
In addition to his work as an attorney-at-law and lecturer, Pieter is a member of the Expert Committee on Procurement. This committee was set up by the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate to mediate in procurement procedures. The committee also issues independent non-binding advice to parties involved in public procurement procedures. At the request of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, Pieter evaluated the Dutch Public Procurement Act together with the Kwink Group.
Moreover, Pieter is an arbitrator or dispute adviser in disputes in relation to the legal fields referred to. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Roger BV.
Pieter is active in a social capacity as well. He is, for example, a member of the board of Les Amis de l’école Hamaide ASBL and a member of the Advisory Board of the Dutch Network Brussels.