Research and analysis
Ex-post assessment of merger control decisions involving vertically-related firms
A review by E.CA Economics of the CMA’s assessment of vertical theories of harm in four merger clearance decisions.
Documents
Details
As part of its continual evaluation programme, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) commissioned E.CA Economics to review 4 past merger decisions involving vertically-related firms.
The review focuses on:
- how the CMA generally assessed competition theories of harm in mergers between firms characterised by vertical relationships
- whether the assessment in the 4 vertical merger clearance decisions under scrutiny was reasonable based on the evidence available at the time
- evaluating the market evolution following these mergers
In its review E.CA Economics makes recommendations for best practice when considering these issues in future.
Published 14 April 2022