The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the anticipated acquisition by SMFL LCI Helicopters Limited of Macquarie Rotorcraft Limited.

The CMA has served an initial enforcement order under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 on Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc., Sumitomo Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing Co. Limited, SMFL LCI Helicopters Limited, and Macquarie Rotorcraft Limited. The full text of this has yet to be released by CMA.

The CMA has set up the dedicated email address of smfl.macquarierotorcraft@cma.gov.uk to provide any interested party the opportunity to send written representations about any competition or public interest issues which they consider may arise from the proposed transaction. No deadline has yet been set for this phase of the process.

The following stage is for CMA to formally launch a merger inquiry. At this stage a date will be set for a decision to be published, based on statutory deadline calculations.

However, the CMA never guarantees that the decision will be announced on or before the deadline advised, as changes during the merger assessment process may give rise to other work – which could in turn require a new target date.

see also > SMFL LCI Helicopters JV to acquire Macquarie Rotorcraft Leasing