Website numbers key to clearance certificates

Whether or not businesses have to obtain clearance for mergers they plan in Germany could depend on how many German website users target companies have, or how many patents they have filed in the country. That’s according to guidance issued by the Federal Cartel Office. A report on the Out-Law.com site notes that under German merger control laws, businesses are generally obliged to pre-notify the FCO of planned mergers if all undertakings that are a party to the transaction have combined worldwide turnover in excess of €500m; one undertaking has turnover in excess of €25m in Germany, and either one other undertaking has turnover in excess of €5m in Germany or the value of the consideration for the merger is more than €400m and the target company operates to a considerable extent in Germany.