Samrunareglur samkeppnislaga mæla fyrir um að fyrirtæki sem öðlast yfirráð yfir öðru fyrirtæki séu tilkynningarskyld þegar ákveðin skilyrði eru uppfyllt. Þannig er skylt að tilkynna samruna til Samkeppniseftirlitsins þegar sameiginleg heildarvelta viðkomandi fyrirtækja er 3 milljarðar kr. eða meira á Íslandi og að minnsta kosti tvö af þeim fyrirtækjum sem aðild eiga að samrunanum hafa a.m.k. 300 millj. kr. ársveltu á Íslandi hvert um sig. Samkeppniseftirlitið hefur þó heimild til að krefja samrunaaðila um samrunatilkynningu þrátt fyrir að framangreind skilyrði séu ekki uppfyllt ef sameiginleg heildarvelta viðkomandi fyrirtækja er meiri en 1,5 milljarður kr. á ári.
A merger must be notified to the Competition Authority before it is implemented, but after an agreement for it has been made, a takeover bid has been publicly announced, or control of an undertaking has been acquired. A merger subject to the provisions of the Competition Act must therefore not be implemented while the Competition Authority is reviewing it.
The merger notification shall provide information on the merger, the undertakings involved, the relevant markets and any other necessary matters for the assessment of the merger's effects on competition. In the rules of the Competition Authority No. 1390/2020 In relation to notification and procedure in merger matters, the information to be included in the notification is specified in more detail. A shorter notification is permitted if one of the conditions set out in paragraphs a to e of subsection 6 of article 17a is met. competition law, such as where the markets in which the effects of the merger are felt are not connected.
Annex I to the aforementioned regulations sets out a detailed list of the information to be included in a merger notification to the Competition Authority. A shorter notification is permitted if one of the conditions set out in paragraphs a to e of Article 17a(6) is met. competition law, for example, if the markets in which the effects of the merger could be felt are not related. In such cases, it is not necessary to provide as extensive information as for a standard merger notification, and an exhaustive list of the information to be included with a short notification can be found in Annex II of the Competition Authority's regulations. No. 1390/2020 on notification and procedure in merger matters.
The signed merger document shall be submitted to the Competition Authority on the 2nd floor of Borgartún 26, Reykjavík.
Greiða þarf sérstakt samrunagjald við afhendingu samrunatilkynningar að upphæð kr. 500.000 fyrir lengri tilkynningu og 200.000 fyrir styttri tilkynningu. Reikningsnúmerið er 001-26-25874, kt. 540269-6459. Í skýringu þarf að koma fram fyrir hvaða samruna er verið að greiða og senda skal kvittun um greiðsluna á netfangið samkeppni@samkeppni.is.
Once mergers have been notified to the Competition Authority, they may not be implemented until the Authority has completed its review. Mergers must be notified before they take effect, but after an agreement for them has been made, a takeover bid has been publicly announced, or control of an undertaking has been acquired.
Samkeppniseftirlitið hefur 25 virka daga til athugunar á samkeppnislegum áhrifum samruna eftir að tilkynnt hefur verið um hann með fullnægjandi hætti (fasi I). Telji Samkeppniseftirlitið ástæðu til frekari rannsóknar á samkeppnislegum áhrifum samruna skal stofnunin tilkynna samrunaaðilum um það. Ákvörðun Samkeppniseftirlitsins um ógildingu eða setningu skilyrða samruna skal taka eigi síðar en 90 virkum dögum eftir að
viðkomandi fyrirtækjum var send tilkynning um frekari rannsókn á samrunanum (fasi II). Setji samrunaaðilar, sem
óska eftir sáttaviðræðum við Samkeppniseftirlitið, fram möguleg skilyrði vegna
samrunans á 55. virka degi annars fasa rannsóknar eða síðar, framlengist
frestur til rannsóknar samrunans sjálfkrafa um 15 virka daga. Óski
samrunaaðilar þess er Samkeppniseftirlitinu heimilt að framlengja framangreinda
fresti til rannsóknar samruna um allt að 20 virka daga. Samruninn má ekki koma til
framkvæmda á meðan slík rannsókn stendur yfir.
Article 17(a), paragraph 4 of the Competition Act provides that the Competition Authority may, upon request, grant an exemption from the prohibition on the implementation of a merger while it is under consideration, provided that it is demonstrated that a delay in the implementation of the merger could harm the undertakings concerned or their trading partners and that competition is at risk. The request must be reasoned and submitted in writing. The exemption may be subject to conditions in order to ensure effective competition.
All notified mergers are investigated by the Competition Authority to determine whether they will significantly impede competition in the market, or whether a dominant position will be created or strengthened. If this is not the case, the mergers are approved without intervention from the Authority.
The Competition Authority may annul a merger or impose conditions on it if the Authority considers that the merger would prevent effective competition by creating or strengthening a dominant position, or would otherwise significantly distort competition in the market.
Even if the Competition Authority believes that a notified merger could have an adverse effect on competition, such a merger can be approved with conditions that prevent its harmful effects. This is done by way of a settlement with the merging parties under Article 17(f). The Competition Authority then monitors compliance with these conditions and can take action if they are not met.
Samkeppniseftirlitið skal innan 25 virkra daga tilkynna þeim aðila sem sent hefur stofnuninni samrunatilkynningu ef hún telur ástæðu til frekari rannsóknar á samkeppnislegum áhrifum samrunans.Ákvörðun um ógildingu
samruna skal taka eigi síðar en 90 virkum dögum eftir að slík tilkynning hefur
verið send, nema framangreind atriði sem geta haft áhrif á tímafresti eigi við.
Please be advised that there is a legal obligation to notify mergers that meet the criteria of the Competition Act. The Competition Act also provides that a merger may not be implemented before the Competition Authority has concluded its review. In cases of non-compliance with the notification obligation and the prohibition on implementing a merger, the Competition Authority is obliged to impose administrative fines on the undertakings or association of undertakings responsible for such breaches. Where conditions have been imposed on a merger on the basis of a settlement, a breach of such conditions will also be subject to administrative fines. This is further dealt with in Chapter IX of the Competition Act on penalties.
Fines may amount to up to 10% of the total turnover in the last financial year of any company or association of companies involved in the infringement. If the infringement of an association of undertakings relates to the activities of its members, the amount of the fine shall not exceed 10% of the total turnover of each of its members which is active in the market concerned by the infringement of the association. When determining the amount of fines, regard shall be had to the nature and gravity of the infringements, their duration and whether they are repeated.
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