Dutch Competition Regulator's Call-in Power Passes "First Phase" As Lower House Adopts Bill

Competition authorities around the world are closing loopholes and asserting jurisdiction over potentially harmful mergers that fall below quantitative merger-control thresholds. Activities that give them cause for concern include anti-competitive effects in local markets, roll-up strategies, killing potential competition, and the stifling of future innovation. Authorities are increasingly taking the view that an undertaking's revenue size does not necessarily reflect its position and importance in competitive market dynamics.

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) has also been advocating for such call-in powers. A member of parliament has picked up this call and proposed a bill (see our previous article on the draft bill here).