Our latest edition explores the top merger control trends across the EU, US, UK, Middle East and Australia, and the outlook for 2025.
EU and US merger control enforcement: quo vadis?
In the EU, Executive Vice...more
1/20/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Division ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Competition ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Global Dealmaking ,
Member State ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Technology Sector ,
UK
After years of planning and debate, the UK's Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act will come into force on 1 January 2025. This landmark legislation provides expanded powers to the CMA in respect of merger control,...more
The third Annual Report on the UK's National Security and Investment Act provides some valuable insights into the review process and how it continues to develop. We explore some of the key metrics and trends and what they...more
In yet another twist in the Illumina/Grail saga, Advocate General Emiliou has challenged the European Commission's approach to calling-in certain non-reportable transactions for review. The final judgment will be delivered by...more
The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation took effect on 12 July 2023 to much fanfare. We take a look at the top five things PE funds need to know when considering acquisitions with a European footprint.
The Foreign Subsidies...more
The National Security and Investment Act introduces a mandatory obligation to secure clearance for certain types of transactions -
On January 4, 2021, the long-anticipated National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA)...more
There have been a number of developments in merger control in 2020 and Q1 2021. Some are related to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, while others are borne out of the ambitions and changes sought by individual...more
On 11 November 2020, the government announced the details of its proposals for national security-based review of investments in the UK, in the form of the National Security and Investment Bill ("NSIB").
Protectionism is a...more
One-
The UK has championed an open and dynamic market economy, including foreign direct investment ("FDI") into the UK, ever since political theorists such as Adam Smith argued the benefits of free trade over mercantilism...more
The UK government has tabled changes to the Enterprise Act 2002 to expand the circumstances in which the government will be empowered to review foreign takeovers of UK companies. The new rules will allow the government to...more
6/23/2020
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enterprise Act 2002 ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Investment ,
Goods or Services ,
Merger Controls ,
National Security ,
Public Health Emergency ,
UK
On 17 June 2020, the European Commission published a White Paper seeking views on three powerful new tools to control the acquisitions and activities of foreign subsidised companies in the EU:1 (i) a general ex post control...more
6/19/2020
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Investment ,
Foreign Subsidiaries ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Public Consultations ,
Screening Procedures ,
WTO
Four years after the European Commission (“EC”) thwarted Hutchison’s attempt to consolidate the UK mobile telecoms market through its planned acquisition of O2, the General Court yesterday dealt a crushing blow to the...more
National security interventions have largely been confined to defense-related transactions -
Since mid-2018, there have been a number of important changes (actual and proposed) to legislation permitting intervention by...more
1/9/2020
/ Acquisitions ,
Defense Sector ,
Dual Use Goods ,
Enterprise Act 2002 ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Investment ,
Intervention Notices ,
National Security ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Public Interest ,
Secretary of State ,
UK ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
CMA investigation into Amazon/Deliveroo and Paypal/iZettle deals highlights the regulator's increased interest in technology transactions....more
7/15/2019
/ Acquisitions ,
Amazon ,
Digital Markets Strategy ,
Initial Enforcement Order (IEO) ,
Killer Acquisitions ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
PayPal ,
Technology Sector ,
UK ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
UK Regulatory Reforms