Curtis' Milan Office Hosts Roundtable on Franchising

On 14 October, Curtis, in collaboration with Assofranchising, hosted two roundtables at its Milan office, bringing together around 50 representatives of key national and international franchisors operating in the food and beverage, large-scale distribution, retail, education, real estate, fitness, and financial services sectors.

The first roundtable addressed the current state of franchising in Italy. Discussions with operators in the food and beverage and large-scale distribution sectors focused on exclusivity agreements in franchise contracts, with particular attention to relevant EU legislation and recent case law.

The second roundtable focused on the commercial and practical day-to-day issues encountered when selecting prospective franchisees. The discussion examined the legal aspects of the pre-contractual phase in franchise relationships, with a focus on non-disclosure agreements and their legal implications in light of recent case law. The pros and cons of requiring franchisees to use certain suppliers were also discussed, along with the limits on imposing supplier requirements under franchise agreements in light of national case law and EU legislation.

Curtis attorneys Emanuella Agostinelli, Jacopo Cordiano, and Emanuele Ballo were among the speakers.