Agency decision-making in merger cases: Prohibition and conditional clearances

When analysing mergers which risk generating anti-competitive effects, competition agencies often consider the trade-off between prohibiting the transaction and granting a conditional clearance. While it is clear that agencies should establish that a transaction generates anti-competitive effects to either prohibit it or impose conditions to its clearance, the point beyond which sufficient harm is assumed to be established, and a prohibition decision or the imposition of remedies are justified, is not always clear.

In November 2016, the OECD held a roundtable to explore competition authorities’ approaches to prohibiting mergers or accepting remedies to achieve a conditional clearance. The discussion provided insights into the factors that competition authorities consider when making their decision.

Read the detailed summary of the discussion • Voir le compte rendu détaillé de la discussion

» Full list of Competition Policy Roundtables

NOVEMBER 2016 SESSION DOCUMENTATION

Key documents and panellists information

» Executive summary with key findings • Synthèse et points cléfs

» Detailed summary of discussion • Compte rendu détaillé de la discussion

» Background Note by the OECD Secretariat • Note de Référence du Secrétariat

Panellists

Nicholas LEVY Bio
Solicitor, England and Wales
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

Paula RIEDEL Bio
Partner,
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

Contributions from participants

Summaries of all contributions