What To Expect From A Simplified EU Merger Control System

The European Commission recently published long-awaited draft amendments to the EU merger control system. The amendments are included in revised draft versions of the commission's Simplified Procedure Notice and Merger Implementing Regulation.¹ Interested stakeholders were given the opportunity to submit comments until early June. The revised texts are expected to be formally adopted shortly and to become applicable in 2023.

Principal Changes

The principal changes are as follows:

• Expansion of the types of transactions notified under the EU Merger Regulation² that the commission can review under its simplified procedure, although at the same time the commission clarifies and expands the circumstances under which the simplified procedure may not be suitable even if the transaction meets its general eligibility criteria;