Biography: Trade & Customs

Arnoud Willems is a partner in Sidley's Brussels office and a member of the firm's international trade and arbitration group. As an EU and international trade practitioner, Mr Willems frequently advises governments, industries and major corporations on trade and customs legislation as well as on the negotiation, conclusion and implementation of trade agreements and WTO rules. In this respect, Mr Willems regularly represents clients before the European, Dutch and Belgian administrative authorities, courts, and arbitration panels.

A key aspect of his practice involves advising businesses on improving competitiveness through optimised use of trade and customs laws, for example, import tariffs, anti-dumping, trade barriers, customs matters and bi-and multi-lateral trade agreements. Since 1995, Mr Willems has successfully represented many companies in trade defence cases, including the ground-breaking cases on silicon metal (before the General Court) and ferroalloys (before the Belgian courts).

Further, Mr Willems is a thought leader on competitiveness, the application of WTO rules to the energy sector, climate change and the new EU energy regulation. He has particular experience advising Central and Eastern European governments, trade associations and companies on EU trade, WTO and energy matters.

Mr Willems is a member of the Commissie Internationale Economische Betrekkingen VNO-NCW, the customs committee of the ICC and both the transport and energy committee and external trade committee of the American Chamber of Commerce. He publishes and speaks widely on trade remedy topics such as anti-dumping and safeguard issues, customs legislation and e-commerce. His articles have been published in Asian, European and American journals.

Before entering private practice, Mr Willems was a lieutenant in the Royal Dutch Navy and served as a legal officer at Royal Philips Electronics. Mr Willems received his Meester in de Rechten University of Leiden, The Netherlands in 1992 and is admitted in Brussels.