Saudi competition authority receives 137 economic concentration requests in 2020

06/01/2021 Argaam

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The General Authority for Competition (GAC) received 137 applications for economic concentration during 2020.

 

The authority issued 49 decisions of no objection to completing economic concentration operations in various sectors, led by the manufacturing industries with 17 decisions followed by information and communication with six decisions.

 

The number of applications classified under the “lack of obligation to report” reached 74 and the number of other requests (withdrawn and closing balance) were nearly 24.

 

The following table indicates the sector-wise classification of economic concentration requests for which a no-objection letter was issued in 2020:

 

No Objection Letters by Sector

Sector

No objection letters

Manufacturing industries

17

Information and communication

6

Financial activities and insurance services

5

Electricity, gas and air conditioning

3

Administrative and support services

3

Transportation and storage

3

Human health and social work

3

Education

2

Wholesale and retail trade

2

Water, sanitation and waste management

2

Mining and quarrying

1

Construction

1

Professional, scientific and technical activities

1

Total

49

 

The competition authority approved the completion of the economic concentration process for a number of listed companies, which included the completion of the economic concentration between Al-Ahlia Insurance Co. and Gulf Union Cooperative Insurance Co., in addition to Aljazira Takaful Taawuni Co. and Solidarity Saudi Takaful Co., as explained the following table:

 

Approved Economic Concentrations in 2020

Alhokair

In January 2020, the Competition Authority approved the economic concentration between Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. and the Innovative Union.

National Learning

In February 2020, the authority decided that there would be no objection to the completion of the economic concentration process between the National Learning and each of the Al-Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Ghad Schools.

SABIC Agri-Nutrients

In April 2020, the authority approved the completion of the economic concentration process between SAFCO and SABIC Agri-Nutrients Investment.

Gulf Union-Al-Ahlia

In June 2020, the authority approved the completion of the economic concentration process between the two companies, Gulf Union Cooperative Insurance and Al-Ahlia Insurance Co.

Aljazira Takaful-Solidarity

In September 2020, the authority announced no objection to the completion of the economic concentration process between Aljazira Takaful and Solidarity Saudi Takaful.

Dallah

Last October, the authority agreed to complete the economic concentration process by acquiring Dallah's shares of Care Shield Holding Co. anshares in Makkah Medical Center.

Advanced

In November 2020, the authority announced its no objection to the completion of the economic concentration process between Advanced Global Investment Co., a subsidiary of Advanced, and SK Gas.

 

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