Competition Bureau Issues Draft Fee and Service Standards Handbook for Merger-Related Matters for Comment

Ottawa, May 31, 2010 — The Competition Bureau is seeking public comments on its draft Fee and Service Standards Handbook For Merger-Related Matters.

Since November 1997, the Bureau has required payment of fees for merger-related matters. Service standards were established in order to provide timely and predictable merger review periods for stakeholders, and to comply with Treasury Board requirements with respect to the imposition of fees.

Given recent amendments to the merger provisions of the Competition Act and to the Notifiable Transactions Regulations, the Bureau's Fee and Service Standards Handbook For Merger-Related Matters provides updated guidance on how the Bureau determines the complexity of a proposed transaction, sets out the information required by the Bureau to commence the applicable service standard, and explains when service standards may be paused or terminated.

Interested parties are asked to mail, fax or e-mail their comments on the Handbook no later than Monday, August 2, 2010, to:

Merger Notification Unit
Mergers Branch, Competition Bureau
50 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0C9
Fax: 819-953-6169
Email: mergernotification@cb-bc.gc.ca

Submissions will be posted on the Bureau Web site unless it is specifically requested that they be kept confidential.

The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that contributes to the prosperity of Canadians by protecting and promoting competitive markets and enabling informed consumer choice.

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