Egypt's pre-closing notification merger control regime became effective June 2024. While processing times for filings has shortened, review times are still comparatively long.

The Moroccan Competition Counsel (MCC) issued Opinion No. A/6/25 on competition concerns in the pharmaceutical market.

On July 1, 2024, the Saudi General Authority for Competition (GAC) announced key amendments to its merger guidelines. These updates introduce several significant changes...

In the realm of fostering fair market practices and ensuring healthy competition, regulatory bodies play a pivotal role. In Saudi Arabia, the General Authority of Competition...

The intersection between data protection and competition law in Morocco represents a complex and evolving area of legal practice.

Moroccan merger control operates through a dual-track system where the Competition Council conducts competition-based reviews while the government retains exceptional powers to intervene on broader public interest grounds.

Tunisia's merger control regime is based on a legal framework designed to maintain competitive markets, prevent excessive market concentration, and protect consumer welfare.

The UAE's competition law regime has undergone significant transformation with the introduction of a new Competition Law and turnover-based merger notification thresholds. While the federal UAE Competition Commission holds principal jurisdiction, the Executive Regulations now provide guidance on how competition enforcement powers are allocated and coordinated between federal authorities, Emirate-level authorities, and sector-specific regulators.

2024 saw the announcement of several material developments in merger control regulation throughout the MENA region.

The UAE has developed a multi-layered data protection framework that reflects both its federal legal system and the autonomy of its financial free zones.

The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation introduces new regulatory scrutiny for non-EU companies investing in Europe, with particular implications for Middle Eastern state-linked entities and sovereign wealth funds. The first major FSR merger investigation involving UAE-based e& and PPF Telecom reveals how the Commission applies this regime to government-backed investors from the Gulf region.

The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR, Regulation (EU) 2022/2560) is a tool adopted to address distortions in the EU internal market caused by subsidies from non-EU governments.

On 30 December 2022 the amendments of the Egyptian Competition Law approved by the Egyptian House of Representatives on 6 December 2022 entered into force.

The long-anticipated overhaul of the Egyptian merger control regime introduces a preclosing notification regime

Both—Saudi Arabia and Egypt—have recently taken steps to attract foreign direct investment into their mining sectors. With their Vision 2030 Saudi Arabia announced intentions to attract USD 170 billion of investment in the Kingdom's mining and minerals sector.

After a slow implementation phase the regional merger control regime for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) came into effect in October 2024.

The prohibition and regulation of agreements that restrict competition lie at the core of competition law. Resale price maintenance (RPM) is one of the most common types of agreements in supplier–distributor...

Prohibiting abuse of dominance is one of the main pillars of competition law in any jurisdiction. Abuse of dominance describes unilateral conduct by which businesses use their substantial influence in a specific market to undermine fair competition.

Kuwait's Competition Protection Agency has introduced its first formal framework for handling confidential information in competition proceedings through Decision 33/2026.

Merger control regimes across the Middle East and North Africa are undergoing significant transformation as competition authorities refine enforcement mechanisms and enhance procedural frameworks. The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Kuwait each introduced substantial reforms to their merger control systems in the first half of 2026, fundamentally reshaping how cross-border transactions are reviewed and approved in these jurisdictions.