The Global Merger Control Forum 2025

Registration
09:00

Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
09:30

Keynote: The European Commission’s View on the State of Play in Merger Control
09:40

Exploring the Commission’s Next Steps Following Illumina/Grail
10:15

• Assessing the effectiveness of the Commission’s decisions in how to fill the regulatory gap so far
• The future use of Article 22 and Call-in
• It’s impact on below thresholds cases
• Towercast and use of ex-post competition law in merger control

Networking & Refreshment Break
11:00

Discussing the Political and Policy Pressures Shaping Merger Control
11:20

• Balancing competition and growth in an “era of geo-strategic rivalries”
•  Discussing the Draghi reports and the new Commission mandates
• The Commissions Merger Regime overhaul plans
• The impact of industrial policy and its increasing impact on merger control

Examining Key Developments in Theories of Harm Beyond Price
12:05

• Substantive analysis of eco-system, innovation, dynamic and novel theories of harm
• Are “Killer Acquisitions” a real thing?

• Sustainability, Supply Chain Resilience, and Quality

Analysing the Evolving and Diverging Approach to Remedies
12:50

• Diverging and novel approaches to remedies from the agencies
• Id there a role for behavioural remedies in resolving merger harms?
• Ensuring remedies across jurisdictions are timed to work together

Networking & Lunch Break
13:35

Examining Tech Mergers and the Digital Market
14:35

• Partnerships between big tech and AI providers, aqui-hire and key learnings from recent cases
• Assessing the impact DMA provisions are having on mergers deals for designated Gatekeepers
• AI: Assessing Innovation and dominance in emerging markets
• How are remedies are developing in the digital sector?

Navigating the Increasing Multi-Jurisdictional Challenges in Global Mergers
15:20

• Managing multi-jurisdictional mergers and multiple regulation authorities and regulatory divergence
• Balancing international unalignment and unpredictability  
• Implications of the new USA administration on transatlantic mergers
• The effect of the USA’s updated HSR rules
• Examining developments in key worldwide jurisdictions and the pitfalls to avoid

Networking & Refreshment Break
16:05

Navigating Foreign Investment/Subsidy Regimes and The Impact on “Getting the Deal Through”
16:25

• Rating the European Commission’s foreign subsidies regime
• Have foreign subsidies become a hot topic elsewhere?
• Engaging with key foreign investment controls across the globe
• Balancing an increased protectionism with attracting inward investment
• How to plan for intervention and remedies by authorities

Fireside Chat: Judicial Review in Merger Control
17:10

• Navigating the differing impacts of judicial review across jurisdictions
• Analyzing key judgements and cases around the world and their effect on Merger Control Regimes
• Appeals in the court and the issue of Finality in regimes
• Key cases through national courts on below threshold mergers

Chairperson’s Closing Remarks
17:50

Drinks Reception - Hosted by BRG
18:00