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ARTICLE · 03 APRIL 2025

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Merging Priorities: Impact Of 'Pro-Growth Agenda' On UK Merger Control

Travers Smith LLP
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The Competition & Markets Authority ('CMA'), alongside other UK regulators, has been under pressure to align with, and advance, the UK Government's 'pro-growth agenda'. Merger control has, in particular...

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
Rosamund Browne
Rosamund Browne
Ingrid Hodgskiss
Ingrid Hodgskiss
Nigel Seay
Nigel Seay
Stephen Whitfield
Stephen Whitfield
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The Competition & Markets Authority ('CMA'), alongside other UK regulators, has been under pressure to align with, and advance, the UK Government's 'pro-growth agenda'. Merger control has, in particular, come under fire - with the Government aiming for a more certain, proportionate, transparent and thus more business-friendly approach. Below, we explore the path that the Government has taken in reaching this point, and the likely next steps for deal parties.

Origins of the 'Pro-Growth Agenda'

At the International Investment Summit in October 2024 (a few months after the UK Labour Government came into power), UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer committed to "rip out the bureaucracy that blocks investment" and to "make sure that every regulator in this country... especially our economic and competition regulators... take growth seriously". In response, and following a palpable degree of pressure from Government on all UK regulators, the CMA announced a new growth-focuse

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