Non-price competition : EU merger control framework and case practice

This issue focuses on non-price competition in EU merger control. Mergers may affect both price and non-price parameters of competition, such as innovation, quality, capacity, data protection and privacy, sustainability, and reliability of supply. When reviewing mergers, the Commission takes these factors into account, be it for the purposes of defining the affected markets, the competitive assessment, or potential efficiencies. The importance of such non-price parameters depends on the specific industry and merger but has grown over the last years due to the digital and green transition and other economic changes of market realities.