Page 44 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - FEBRUARY 2025 Part 1

Press Release

H.E. said: “We are confident that the implementation of this decision will create a fair competitive
environment, which will support the interests of traders and suppliers through equal opportunities,
and benefit consumers by providing wider options and competitive prices. Besides, it will
encourage the business community to innovate and boost their confidence in the UAE’s flexible
and competitive economic legislative environment. The decision will also contribute to enhancing
the country’s position in the Global Competitiveness Index.”

Procedures for verifying requests of establishments related to economic concentration
operations

During the event, the Ministry explained the procedures it will follow to verify the requests of
establishments for economic concentration operations in accordance with the law, which include
the following:

• The Minister or his delegate shall issue decisions regarding the economic concentration
process within 90 working days starting from the date of receiving the economic
concentration request, and this may be extended for another 45 days. The establishments
concerned must not take any actions or procedures during this period to complete the
economic concentration process. Failure to issue a decision by the Minister or his delegate
within this period shall be considered a rejection of the economic concentration process.

• The establishments concerned may submit, on their own initiative, a pledge to take
measures aimed at preventing the anti-competitive effects of the economic concentration
process upon submitting the application or within a period not exceeding 30 days from the
date of receipt of the application, complete and fulfilling the required conditions.

• The Ministry reserves the right to invite interested parties to express their views on the
economic concentration process by publishing its basic information on the Ministry’s
website.

• Any interested party has the right to submit any data or documents to the Ministry regarding
the economic concentration process presented to the Ministry.

• The Ministry holds the right to request any additional information or documents related to
the economic concentration process.

In addition, any interested party may file a written grievance against any decision issued based on
the provisions of the Competition Law to the Minister, the head of the relevant authority, or the
head of the regulatory body, as the case may be, within 15 working days from the date of
notification of the decision or procedure being appealed. The complainant may also appeal against
the decision to reject grievance before the competent court within 30 days of the date of notification
of this decision.

3