Broadcom / VMware merger inquiry

The CMA investigated and cleared the anticipated acquisition by Broadcom Inc. of VMware, Inc.

Phase 2

Administrative timetable

Date of referral: 29 March 2023

Statutory deadline: 12 September 2023

Contact

general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk

Final report

21 August 2023: The CMA has published its final report.

Responses to provisional findings

Provisional findings

19 July 2023: The CMA has provisionally cleared the anticipated acquisition by Broadcom Inc. of VMware, Inc.

The deadline for submitting responses to the provisional findings is 5pm on Wednesday 9 August 2023.

Responses to the issues statement

Interim undertakings

Amendments / consents granted

Issues statement

21 April 2023: The issues statement sets out the scope of the inquiry. It outlines initial theories on what might be adversely affecting competition, but it does not set out findings or conclusions. The deadline for submissions on the issues statement is 11am BST, 9 May 2023.

Inquiry group appointed

29 March 2023: The CMA has appointed the Inquiry Group:

Richard Feasey (Chair), Colleen Keck, Jeremy Newman, and Crispin Wright.

Terms of reference

29 March 2023: The CMA has referred the anticipated acquisition by Broadcom Inc. of VMware, Inc. for an in-depth investigation.

Phase 1

Statutory timetable

Date Action
22 March 2023 Decision announced
25 January 2023 Launch of merger inquiry
21 November 2022 to 6 December 2022 Invitation to comment

Reference decision

29 March 2023: The CMA has referred the anticipated acquisition by Broadcom Inc. of VMware, Inc. for an in-depth investigation, on the basis that, on the information currently available to it, it is or may be the case that this Merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom.

Reference unless undertakings accepted

22 March 2023: The CMA has decided, on the evidence currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for an in-depth, Phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer an acceptable undertaking to address these competition concerns.

Launch of merger inquiry

25 January 2023: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.

Invitation to comment: closed 6 December 2022

21 November 2022: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.

Written representations about any competition issues should be provided by the deadline set out above.

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition or public interest to: general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk

Updates to this page

Published 21 November 2022
Last updated 21 August 2023 + show all updates
  1. Final report, appendices and glossary published

  2. Summary of final report published

  3. Responses to provisional findings published.

  4. Derogation published.

  5. Provisional findings, glossary and appendices published.

  6. Notice of provisional findings and summary of provisional findings published.

  7. Responses to the issues statement published

  8. Derogation published.

  9. Notice of acceptance of interim undertakings published

  10. Phase 1 full text decision published.

  11. Issues statement published.

  12. Administrative timetable published.

  13. Decision to refer to a Phase 2 investigation and Terms of reference published. 

  14. Phase 1 decision summary published

  15. Launch of merger inquiry, with commencement notice, published.

  16. First published.