Antitrust Authority Launches Fast Track for Mergers

In an uncharacteristically merger-friendly mood, the Israeli Antitrust Authority has unveiled plans to create a fast-track, “bright-green lane” for proposed deals that do not pose questions of reducing competition.
The idea is to reduce regulatory hurdles and delays for mergers and acquisitions that raise little or no concern about market concentration, Globes reported.
In such cases, the deals will be approved within “a significantly shorter period” than the 30 days required by law, the Antitrust Authority said.
To qualify, the two companies involved in a merger or acquisition will have to provide detailed information and a full notice, as opposed to an abbreviated one otherwise used, including market research, analyses and data on market share that prove there are no competition worries.
The Antitrust Authority said it will reconsider the policy after a three-month trial period, which will stretch from May 8 to August 8, before establishing it as a permanent mechanism.