FTC urged to extend comment period for draft merger guidelines

The AHA Aug. 1 joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other organizations in urging the Federal Trade Commission to extend for at least 60 days the comment period for their draft guidance revising how they review mergers and acquisitions to determine compliance with federal antitrust laws. 
 
“An extension would serve the interests of both the public and the agencies by allowing adequate time for more fulsome responses to the proposed revisions to the merger guidelines, which are designed to reshape U.S. merger policy and capital markets,” the organizations wrote, noting that the agencies themselves took around 15 months to complete the draft after the close of the previous comment period, demonstrating that “any urgency to the issue is outweighed by the importance of careful consideration of these complex issues.” 
 
In addition, they note that the agencies are proposing “sweeping revisions” to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Rule on premerger notification, with a comment period that significantly overlaps.