Mergers between two mobile network operators in the same country tend to draw considerable scrutiny under competition rules.

Out of the 13 such mobile mergers that were notified to competition authorities in the European Economic Area since 2004, 11 faced some form of intervention, with 3 transactions being ultimately blocked or withdrawn due to competition concerns.

Cullen International’s new Antitrust & Mergers Explainer looks at the assessment of mobile mergers, focusing on the European Commission’s case law over the past 20 years.

The Explainer examines the types of competition concerns the Commission has raised about mobile mergers and the evidence it typically relies on for its competitive assessment.

It also explores the evolution of the Commission’s practice regarding the commitments that the merging operators must offer to address competition problems.

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