Merger control meaning

Non-controlling minority shareholdings This Checklist identifies the jurisdictions worldwide where acquisitions of non‑controlling minority shareholdings must be notified, provided the other jurisdictional thresholds are satisfied. In this context, ‘non‑controlling minority shareholdings’ means any degree of influence falling short of what the EU Merger Regulation terms ‘decisive influence’—namely, the capacity to exercise a significant level of control over an undertaking’s strategic commercial behaviour. That influence can be exercised through a variety of routes, including share ownership, voting rights (in particular, veto rights), or contractual arrangements, and does not necessarily involve holding a majority shareholding...

To gauge concentration within a particular market, competition authorities often turn to the Herfindahl‑Hirschman Index (HHI) as a primary tool that supports and streamlines their assessment. Although the absolute HHI level provides an early signal of post‑merger competitive pressure, the movement in the HHI (the ‘delta’) functions as a practical proxy for the change in concentration directly attributable to the merger itself and its immediate effects. How to calculate the HHI The HHI is obtained by adding the squares of the individual market shares of all firms participating in the market, without omitting any active competitor...

More than 150 jurisdictions operate merger control, or regimes akin to it. Within these systems, competition regulators may prohibit a deal entirely, or approve it subject to remedies, whether agreed or imposed. This Checklist sets out practical points to bear in mind when managing filing obligations across multiple jurisdictions. For overviews of merger control rules in every jurisdiction, see MJ merger grid—jurisdiction and MJ merger grid—procedure. For distilled takeaways, consult Key learning points from MJ reviews—anomalies, absurdities and potential pitfalls. It also flags issues commonly seen in practice. Guidance is provided in those resources. What transactions fall within merger control rules? Relevant transactions Across most regimes, including the EU, merger control captures any deal that places formerly independent undertakings under common control. Control is often defined broadly. Acquisitions of control—sole v joint control Control can rest with a single party, or be shared with one or more others: sole control: a shareholder that acquires control can take strategic decisions for the target without...

Under the UK merger control rules the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) may assess or review mergers already completed as well as those still anticipated, provided a ‘relevant merger situation’ arises. See Practice Note: A ‘relevant merger situation’ under UK merger rules. Several distinct conditions must be fulfilled for such a ‘relevant merger situation’ to exist, and these requirements are set out in the flowchart provided below here...

This Flowchart sets out the consumer cancellation rights that must be made available to consumers entering on-premises contracts, off-premises contracts and distance contracts for the supply of services Use this guide when a practitioner needs to verify which cancellation entitlements apply to consumers purchasing services in accordance with the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, SI 2013/3134 (CCR 2013). Note 1—a consumer is an individual acting for purposes that are wholly or mainly outside their trade, business, craft or profession. Note 2—certain sector-specific contracts are regulated separately, such as financial services contracts, rental contracts and package travel contracts, and are excluded in full from the CCR 2013. For more information, see Practice Note: Distance, doorstep and on-premises sales—Excluded contracts...

This flowchart sets out the circumstances in which the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (Code) will apply The Code can extend to takeover offers, merger deals, and other arrangements that have, or might have, directly or indirectly, an impact upon the ownership or control of a business...

Mergers The Commission cleared: Hartree Partners Holdings, LP’s acquisition of exclusive control of Touton S.A. (M.12189), following a phase I investigation—see further in Midday Express the establishment of a joint venture by EVH Grüne Energie – Beteiligung GmbH & Co. KG and HSBC Alternative Investments S.C.A. SICAV-RAIF (M.12240), following a phase I investigation—see further in Midday Express the setting up of a joint venture by RCL Cruises Ltd....

Competition policy Commission publishes report on enforcement of EU antitrust and merger control rules in the pharmaceutical sector between 2018–2022 The Commission has issued a report on competition enforcement—covering antitrust and merger control—in the pharmaceutical sector, outlining the activities undertaken by the Commission and national competition authorities during 2018 to 2022. It updates an earlier 2019 report that examined the period from 2009 to 2017. Alongside a broad overview of enforcement in pharmaceuticals, the report describes the sector’s key features that guide competition assessments and, through concrete and practical examples, clearly demonstrates how competition law action protected undertakings and consumers, including in the course of the Covid-19 crisis...

Mergers The Commission approved: the securing of joint control over Kee Safety Group by Inflexion Private Equity Partners LLP and 65 Equity Partners Pte. Ltd (M.11983) following a phase I investigation—for further details, see Midday Express the attainment of joint control of Grand Bahamas Shipyard Ltd...

Over the course of the past month, annual adjustments have been made to merger control thresholds in Canada, Italy and the Philippines, while Montenegro has revamped its regime, introducing swifter timetables and more adaptable filing provisions. Canada—thresholds remain the same in 2026 On 2 March 2026, the Canadian Competition Bureau (CCB) confirmed, after its yearly review, that Canadian merger notification thresholds will stay exactly as they are for 2026. The thresholds remain (in brief): size of transaction test: the target must be, or control, an operating business in Canada with more than CDN$93m (approximately €58.9m/US$66.6m) in Canadian assets (book value) or gross revenue produced by those assets from sales in, from or into Canada (ie domestic plus export sales), and size of parties test: all parties and their affiliates (in aggregate) must together hold over CDN$400m (approximately €253.4m/US$286.3m) in Canadian assets or gross revenues derived from sales in, from or into Canada (ie domestic sales, exports and imports) (this threshold is unchanged and...

At any one time, most practices carry a handful of aged, typically modest, residual balances tied to client matters within the firm. In the normal run of business, handling these residual balances ought to be straightforward, routine housekeeping. On occasion, though, the volume and spread of residual balances is such that a more substantial project is needed to bring them back under firm control. This Practice Note explores practical questions that can confront the project sponsor, eg the COLP or COFA, when initiating a programme to address your firm’s residual balances. It sets out the circumstances that may prompt commencing a project, how best to start and organise the work, and offers pragmatic pointers designed to lighten the project sponsor’s workload considerably. It should be read in conjunction with Practice Note: Residual balances—law firms. In what circumstances will a residual balances project be required? You may have undertaken a residual balance project...

NOTE—to check whether notification thresholds in Vietnam and worldwide are triggered, please consult: Where to Notify. 1. Have there been any recent developments regarding the Vietnamese merger control regime and are any updates/developments expected in the coming year? Are there any other ‘hot’ merger control issues in Vietnam? In 2020, Vietnam promulgated Decree 35 on Detailed Regulations for Implementation of the Law on Competition dated 24 March 2020 (Decree 35), which became effective on 15 May 2020. This marked a pivotal step in putting into operation the competition framework envisaged under the Law on Competition dated 12 June 2018 (Competition Law). The body designated under the Competition Law, the Vietnam Competition Committee (VCC), was established on 1 April 2023 and from that date assumed responsibility for the merger control regime. Decree 35 introduced the following clarifications to merger control: Notification thresholds, under which a transaction must be notified where: the total assets or turnover in Vietnam of...

Merger and acquisition (M&A) M&A deals can be examined or monitored by competition regulators in the jurisdictions where we pursue acquisition opportunities. This guide is designed to help you adhere to competition laws throughout the M&A process, including sharing information, preparing paperwork and planning for integration, all of which present significant competition law compliance risks and challenges. Competition authorities recognise that a degree of planning and information exchange is necessary during a merger or acquisition. However, certain conduct is prohibited by competition law: conduct which, if undertaken by two independent organisations (which the buyer and target in an M&A transaction remain until completion), would breach laws that prohibit competitor co-ordination; and ‘gun-jumping’ conduct, i.e. co-ordination or premature integration before completion that gives the buyer control of the target organisation. The target and all parties to a proposed transaction must keep operating independently until the deal completes. Staff at each company should continue business as usual, noting that the organisations remain separate...

This Agreement is dated [ insert day and month ] 20[ insert year ]. Parties [ Insert name of selling corporate shareholder ], a company incorporated in [ England and Wales OR [ insert country of incorporation ] ], with company number [ insert company number ], having its registered office at [ insert address ] (the Seller); [ insert name of purchasing corporate entity ], a company incorporated in [ England and Wales OR [ insert country of incorporation ] ], with company number [ insert company number ], having its registered office at [ insert address ] (the Buyer); [ Insert name of guarantor entity ], a company incorporated in [ England and Wales OR [ insert country of incorporation ] ], with company number [ insert company number ], having its registered office at [ insert address ] (the Guarantor). [ each of the Seller, the Buyer and the Guarantor is a Party, and together the Seller, the...

Overview This questionnaire offers an illustrative set of questions intended to gather information to assess whether a specific transaction may fall within section 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. It does not consider whether ‘two or more enterprises have ceased to be distinct’. It is prepared on the assumption that the deal involves the acquirer purchasing the target, which is an ongoing business. Consequently, if any of the jurisdictional thresholds is met, the deal will amount to a relevant merger situation. For further guidance on the application of the UK merger control regime, see A ‘relevant merger situation’ under UK merger rules. Once it is established that the UK merger control rules apply, additional and more detailed information will be needed to conduct a substantive review of the competition issues associated with the transaction and to identify any relevant economic market definitions. For more on the substantive assessment of UK mergers and on preparing the UK Merger Notice, see, respectively, The substantive assessment of UK mergers and Information request...