April 2009: The Federal Trade Commission has issued proposed new merger guidelines for public comment. The proposed guidelines may be viewed here: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2010/04/100420hmg.pdf.
September 2009: The Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, and the Federal Trade Commission have announced that they are reviewing the horizontal merger guidelines and are likely to make changes in the coming year.
January 2009: Former Hogan & Hartson partner and FTC Commission Christine Varney has been appointed by President Obama as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division.
January 2009: The FTC has announced new HSR filing thresholds that will likely take effect in February:
Value of Acquired Assets or Stock: $65.2 Million
Persons Involved: $130.3 Million and $13 Million, unless transaction value exceeds $260.7 Million in which case a filing is required regardless of the individual person values unless the transaction is otherwise exempt.
November 19, 2008:
The Antitrust Division has announced revisions to its amnesty program, requiring applicants to agree not to challenge a Division decision respecting leniency until an indictment is filed and making clear that the agreement does not extend to anticompetitive conduct after the company’s legal department discovered the anticompetitive conduct. For more information, see the Division’s Website at http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/criminal/239583.htm.