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ARTICLE · 28 FEBRUARY 2025

New Thresholds For Merger Filings In The UAE: An Overview

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In February 2024, we shared an update on the UAE's competition landscape in which we summarised the changes brought by Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2023...

United Arab EmiratesAntitrust/Competition Law
Bracewell LLP
Bracewell LLP
Amelia Bowring
Amelia Bowring

In February 2024, we shared an update on the UAE's competition landscape in which we summarised the changes brought by Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2023 on the Regulation of Competition (the New Law).

Notably, in the update we highlighted that the New Law did not specify the thresholds that would require a potential transaction to be notified to the Ministry of Economy (the MOE) so that the MOE can provide the required clearance.

Published in the Official Gazette on 30 January 2025, the UAE Cabinet of Ministers issued Ministerial Decree No. 3 of 2025 (the Decree) provides the actual thresholds that will be applied.

Notification Thresholds

Under the Decree, there are two thresholds which, if reached by a potential transaction, would trigger a mandatory merger control filing with the MOE. The thresholds set by the Decree are:

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