Wout De Cock

Wout De Cock is an Assistant Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).

He combines a strong academic background with extensive practical experience advising all sorts of stakeholders on EU State aid and competition law.

He completed his legal studies at KU Leuven, Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, and Université de Liège. After graduating, he was admitted to the Bar, where he advised both public authorities and private undertakings. Following his period at the Bar, he embarked on an academic career, allowing him to deepen his expertise in EU (State aid) law.

Wout has an extensive academic career that enables him to offer a broader, strategic perspective. He previously served as a teaching and research assistant at KU Leuven and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he obtained a PhD in law in 2022. He has also been a visiting researcher at the Centre of European Law at King’s College London and at the Max Planck Institute for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law in Luxembourg.

At the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Wout teaches several courses, including EU Economic Policy (with a focus on EU State aid law) and a general course on EU Law. He also acts as Programme Director of the LL.M. in International and European Law at the Brussels School of Governance (VUB). In addition, he regularly delivers guest lectures and professional trainings on EU State aid law for academic institutions, national courts, public authorities, and practitioners. His teaching engagements include, among others, Euratom, the Belgian Council of State, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the University of Antwerp, and international law firms.

Drawing on his academic expertise, Wout has advised numerous public and private stakeholders on EU State aid law. He publishes widely on EU State aid and competition law in leading Belgian and international journals and edited volumes. His doctoral research was published as a monograph with Larcier Intersentia. He also serves as the Belgian country correspondent for European State Aid Law Quarterly and Tijdschrift voor Staatssteun.

Alongside his expertise in State aid law, Wout has developed a strong specialisation in the intersection of EU law and defence. He has published extensively on EU legal issues related to security, including the Foreign Subsidies Regulation and the application of Article 346 TFEU and EU public procurement rules in the defence sector. This strengthens our ability to advise on complex and sensitive cases at the intersection of EU law, security, and public procurement even further.