ASEAN’s merger control landscape has undergone considerable transformation over the years, since the establishment of the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition in 2007 and development of the ASEAN Competition Action Plan in 2016. Currently, nine of the ten ASEAN member states have implemented, or taken steps to introduce, some form of a general merger control regime. At the same time, there has been a considerable uptick in regional M&A activity. In pursuing and implementing such deals, understanding the applicable merger control requirements will be critical to getting the deal over the line. Factoring these issues into early-stage transaction planning can help businesses avoid costly delays and fines.

Our Antitrust & Competition Practice has prepared an overview of the ASEAN merger control regimes as they currently stand. As competition laws continue to evolve across the region, businesses should stay ahead of the curve and, when exploring potential M&A opportunities, start the merger control review process as early as possible.

If you would like information and/or assistance on the above or any other area of law, you may wish to contact the Partner at WongPartnership whom you normally work with or any of the following Partners:

Ameera ASHRAF
Head – Antitrust & Competition
d +65 6416 8113
e ameera.ashraf@wongpartnership.com
Click here to view Ameera's CV.

CHAN Jia Hui
Partner – Antitrust & Competition
d +65 6416 2794
e jiahui.chan@wongpartnership.com
Click here to view Jia Hui's CV.

Clarissa KOH
Partner – Antitrust & Competition
d +65 6517 8685
e clarissa.koh@wongpartnership.com
Click here to view Clarissa's CV.