New Merger Filing Thresholds In Germany And Austria

Authored by Till Steinvorth and Boris Marschall

Merger notification obligations are changing in Germany and Austria, as new alternative jurisdictional thresholds based on the "transaction value" are being introduced into the respective national regimes, previously solely based on turnover thresholds.

Germany

In Germany, the introduction of a new set of alternative thresholds was approved by both chambers of Parliament and will enter into force upon the (imminent) signature by the Federal President.

Even though the new thresholds are being introduced with a view to better control acquisitions of Internet startups, they apply regardless of the economic sector to any high-valued acquisition of undertakings that have a "significant" presence in Germany.