Introduction
Merger control is one of the key pillars in Singapore’s antitrust framework. Its main objective is to preserve the competitive landscape of markets despite mergers, takeovers or the formation of long-lasting joint ventures.
Given that Singapore has a voluntary merger control regime, merger parties generally have the freedom to complete a merger without incurring administrative time and costs in the process of notifying the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS). This position stems from a pro-business objective which seeks to reduce onerous obligations and unnecessary costs for businesses.
However, oblivious to many, there are several risks merger parties assume when an anti-competitive merger goes un-notified. Such risks have not been fully explored until the Uber-Grab merger in 2018.