In a much-anticipated ruling of 3 September 2024, the EU's highest court threw out the policy that the European Commission has been pursuing since 2021, by which it asserted jurisdiction to review so-called “killer...more
Applying its recent re-interpretation of Article 22 of the European Union Merger Regulation (“EUMR”), which enables Member States to refer to the European Commission (the “Commission”) transactions that do not reach either EU...more
The European Commission has published new guidance and related regulations concerning cooperation among competitors, under Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). These replace instruments...more
6/14/2023
/ Algorithms ,
Climate Change ,
Competition ,
Corporate Counsel ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Infrastructure ,
Safe Harbors ,
Sustainability ,
Technology Sector ,
Telecommunications ,
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)
On 12 October the Digital Markets Act (DMA)1 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The DMA will enter into force on 1 November 2022 and will apply as of 2 May 2023. The DMA introduces European-wide ex...more
10/26/2022
/ Acquisitions ,
Competition ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Digital Marketplace ,
Digital Markets Strategy ,
Digital Platforms ,
Enforcement ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Member State ,
Mergers ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Sanctions
Following a Phase II investigation, the European Commission (the “Commission”) on 6 September 2022 prohibited the acquisition of Grail by Illumina, on the basis that the merger would stifle innovation in the emerging market...more
In a recent high-profile judgment, the EU’s General Court confirmed that the European Commission (“EC”) can, upon referral by a national competition authority in the European Economic Area (“EEA”), review deals that do not...more
Key takeaways - The European Commission (EC) recently issued guidance encouraging Member States to make use of the option, foreseen in the EU Merger Regulation (EUMR), to request the EC to review transactions that do not meet...more
This OnPoint summarizes key provisions of the European Commission's Proposed Regulation on Artificial Intelligence and offers some practical takeaways and strategic considerations for impacted organizations. Given the...more
The Dechert Antitrust Merger Investigation Timing Tracker (DAMITT) is a quarterly release from Dechert LLP reporting on trends in significant merger control investigations in the United States (U.S.) and European Union...more
10/29/2020
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
EU ,
EU Merger Directive ,
European Commission ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Hart-Scott-Rodino Act ,
Joe Biden ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Trump Administration ,
UK Brexit ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
United States
Key Takeaways -
The European Commission has adopted a White Paper with proposals for sweeping enforcement powers to address potential distortive effects of foreign subsidies in the EU.
The White Paper suggests that the...more
8/12/2020
/ Anticompetitive Behavior ,
Competition Authorities ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Enforcement Authority ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Merger Control Regulation ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Subsidies ,
Member State ,
Public Consultations ,
Public Procurement Policies ,
Regulatory Burden ,
Subsidies ,
White Papers
Key Takeaways -
- Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) controls are proliferating around the globe. Since the pandemic, “health” has become a particular focus.
- Several countries have adapted their existing FDI rules, or...more
7/29/2020
/ Australia ,
Austria ,
Biotechnology ,
Canada ,
CFIUS ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Czech Republic ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
France ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Hungary ,
Italy ,
Japan ,
Medical Devices ,
Member State ,
Mergers ,
New Zealand ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Poland ,
Slovenia ,
Spain ,
Threshold Requirements ,
UK ,
Voting Rights
....The Dechert Antitrust Merger Investigation Timing Tracker (DAMITT) is a quarterly release from Dechert LLP reporting on trends in significant merger control investigations in the United States (U.S.) and European Union...more
7/25/2020
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
EU ,
EU Merger Directive ,
European Commission ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Hart-Scott-Rodino Act ,
Health Care Providers ,
Merger Controls ,
Merger Remedies ,
Mergers ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Phase II ,
Popular ,
Vertical Mergers
The EU Foreign Direct Investment Regulation will be in full force from October 11, 2020. We expect it will radically alter the dynamics of foreign investment review in Europe. Any non-EU investor and any EU target company...more
5/18/2020
/ Acquisitions ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Subsidiaries ,
Member State ,
Mergers ,
National Security Review Proceedings ,
New Regulations ,
Non-EU Investors ,
UK Brexit
Fast Facts -
United States
- The COVID-19 pandemic has yet to slow U.S. merger enforcement, with deal reviews for Q1 2020 averaging 11.1 months in length, slightly below the 11.9 month average for CY 2019.
- The...more
Relaxation of antitrust rules to avoid shortages of supply. On 23 March 2020, the European Competition Network (ECN) issued a statement acknowledging that the current situation “may trigger the need for companies to cooperate...more
4/3/2020
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Collaboration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enforcement Actions ,
European Commission ,
European Competition Network (ECN) ,
Medical Supplies ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Relief Measures ,
Supply Chain ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
Strong signal that the EU wants to protect its critical businesses and that the European Commission’s “advisory” role under the EU FDI Regulation will be significant .
Key Takeaways -
In response to concerns raised by...more
Fast Facts -
United States -
- The DOJ and FTC concluded 26 significant U.S. merger investigations in 2019 – similar to the level of activity from 2011-2014 under the Obama administration but trailing the activity...more
2/1/2020
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Antitrust Litigation ,
Blocked Mergers ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Merger Control Regulation ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Hart-Scott-Rodino Act ,
Merger Controls ,
Merger Remedies ,
Merger Reviews ,
Mergers ,
Phase II ,
Technology Sector ,
Trump Administration ,
UK ,
UK Brexit ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
United States
Fast Facts -
United States -
- The Trump administration’s efforts to block mergers near record, with 5 significant investigations resulting in complaints in 2019 YTD.
- The number of significant antitrust merger...more
11/8/2019
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Investigations ,
Blocked Mergers ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Divestiture ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Hart-Scott-Rodino Act ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Remedies ,
Trump Administration
Fast Facts -
United States -
U.S. antitrust enforcement agencies concluded 20 “significant investigations” during the rolling-twelve months (RTM) ended Q2 2019, down from 28 for the RTM ended Q2 2018....more
7/31/2019
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Investigations ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Merger Control Regulation ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Hart-Scott-Rodino Act ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Mergers ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Remedies ,
Technology Sector
In a potentially ground-breaking move, the European Commission recently announced its intention to use its powers to impose interim measures in an investigation targeting chipmaker Broadcom. If it does impose such measures,...more
The UK may leave the EU on 29 March 2019 without a transition period or agreed arrangements on the terms of its exit. There are multiple implications:
- Businesses subject to an ongoing EU antitrust investigation on the...more
3/7/2019
/ Abuse of Dominance ,
Anticompetitive Behavior ,
Antitrust Investigations ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Member State ,
Mergers ,
No-Deal Brexit ,
Parallel Proceedings ,
Transitional Arrangements ,
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) ,
UK ,
UK Brexit ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
Withdrawal Agreement
Fast Facts
- In the U.S., the number of significant antitrust merger investigations in 2018 reached a near-record low over DAMITT’s eight years of data, while their average duration remained near the record high.
- In...more
1/30/2019
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Antitrust Litigation ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
EU ,
EU Merger Directive ,
European Commission ,
European Merger Control Regulation ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Hart-Scott-Rodino Act ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
No-Deal Brexit ,
Obama Administration ,
Phase II ,
Remedies ,
Trump Administration ,
UK ,
UK Brexit ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
Vertical Mergers
Citing findings from the Dechert Antitrust Merger Investigation Timing Tracker (DAMITT) that have demonstrated a marked increase in the duration of significant merger investigations in recent years, DOJ Assistant Attorney...more
10/13/2018
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Antitrust Litigation ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Discovery ,
EU ,
EU Merger Directive ,
European Commission ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Remedies
The General Court of the European Union recently held, in Goldman Sachs v. Commission, that purely financial investors such as investment funds may be held jointly and severally liable for competition law violations...more
9/25/2018
/ Anticompetitive Behavior ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Appeals ,
Board of Directors ,
Cartels ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Financial Adviser ,
General Court of the European Union (GCEU) ,
Goldman Sachs ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Investment Funds ,
Investors ,
Joint and Several Liability ,
Market-Sharing ,
Parent Corporation ,
Portfolio Companies ,
Private Equity ,
Subsidiaries
Fast Facts
- The numbers of significant antitrust merger investigations in the U.S. and the EU both are on pace to match 2017 levels.
- Bayer/Monsanto was resolved after a more than 24-month investigation in the U.S., the...more
7/20/2018
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Investigations ,
AT&T ,
Bayer ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Mergers ,
Monsanto