Saudi Arabia's GAC Issues New Merger Guidelines: A Closer Look At What's Changed

On July 1, 2024, Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Competition (GAC) released a new, fifth edition of its Merger Control Guidelines—an important update that businesses, investors, and legal advisors should carefully review. The revised Guidelines modernize and clarify several aspects of the Kingdom's merger control regime, with notable changes to notification thresholds, definitions of control, exemptions for certain joint ventures, and the validity of clearance decisions.

While much of the structure remains familiar, these updates reflect GAC's intent to target transactions with genuine local impact, reduce unnecessary filings, and align more closely with international standards.