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 competition authorities or unexpected jurisprudence

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the ensuing lockdown measures—along with some landmark judgments— have led the European Commission's Directorate General for Competition to reflect on its approach to merger control notifications and reviews

US antitrust agencies were active in merger enforcement in 2019 and 2020, reflecting the agencies’ commitment to antitrust enforcement particularly in transactions involving nascent competitors and technologies

There have been several interesting developments in merger control in the UK over the past year, including the official separation of the UK from the EU merger control regime and the proposal of a new national security regime that will see notification for certain transactions become mandatory in

The Slovak Antimonopoly Office (the "AMO") continues to be particularly diligent in its review of mergers in markets with a possible impact on consumers and has increased its focus on the ownership of data and the competitive advantage that may accrue from gaining access to or the merging of sign

Protection of the public interest remains a priority for the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), and since merger control is directly interconnected with control of foreign investments, including into "strategic" sectors, strengthening control in this sphere inevitably affects the merger con

The most important development at the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection is its increased focus on procedural infringements, a trend that has also been visible in other jurisdictions and the EU

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has been active in merger enforcement in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and digital, data and technology markets continue to be key areas of focus

The Italian Antitrust Authority (IAA) has traditionally operated in line with the rules and guidelines stipulated by the European Commission, but IAA’s increasing use of far-reaching behavioral remedies in merger cases is certainly a development to be monitored in the future

The new president of the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC), Ioannis Lianos, is a well-known academic particularly attuned to public interest issues.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not had a significant impact on the work of the Federal Cartel Office (FCO). For 2021 and going forward, the 10th amendment of the ARC that just came into force will bring the most substantial overhaul of competition law in a long time.

The merger unit of the Czech Competition Office (CCO) ranks among the most stable teams at the CCO with accessible and responsive staff, so the more detailed the pre-notification, the faster and smoother the process following official notification will be

The most notable development for the French Competition Authority over the past 18 months has been its growing attention to the digitalization of merger control.

Dependable recurring income from digital music rights is attracting major investment from PE funds.

High yield bond and syndicated loan lenders are eager to fund US buyout deals, but competition from private debt markets and high secondary buyout volumes have restricted supply

High yield bond and leveraged loan issuance by European industrials, chemicals and materials companies sustained steady activity levels in Q1 2021 as they took advantage of a borrower-friendly market to raise financing

Dealmaking within the PMB sector enjoyed an impressive start as companies across the globe embarked on their post-pandemic recovery.  

The benefits of highlighting ESG, jobs and other positive deal impacts 

Companies seeking mergers can expect scrutiny and litigation

Is 2021 a year of change?

Businesses with high market shares may find themselves under the microscope