Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK starts screening foreign takeovers and their impact on public health emergencies

On 22 June 2020, the Foreign Secretary issued an Order amending the Enterprise Act 2002 to add the “need to maintain in the UK the capability to combat, and mitigate the effects of public health emergencies” as a “specified consideration” under the Act in relation to which UK authorities may intervene in certain mergers.

• Type:

  • Entry and establishment (Approval and admission)

• Industry:

  • Not industry specific
  • Services (Human health activities)

• Sources:

  • https://www.gov.uk/, Enterprise Act 2002: Changes to the public interest grounds for intervention in merger cases, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/895974/Enterprise_Act_2002_Guidance_-_June_2020.pdf, 26 Jul 2020
  • https://www.legislation.gov.uk/, The Enterprise Act 2002 (Specification of Additional Section 58 Consideration) Order 2020, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/627/pdfs/uksi_20200627_en.pdf, 27 Jun 2020
  • Hogan Lovells, New measures to protect UK life sciences businesses from foreign takeovers, https://www.engage.hoganlovells.com/knowledgeservices/viewContent.action?key=Ec8teaJ9VarpmwnF%2FuijP8xgHJMKLFEppVpbbVX%2B3OXcP3PYxlq7sZUjdbSm5FIetvAtgf1eVU8%3D&nav=FRbANEucS95NMLRN47z%2BeeOgEFCt8EGQ0qFfoEM4UR4%3D&emailtofriendview=true&freeviewlink=true, 29 Jun 2020