The Hart-Scott-Rodino Act established the federal premerger notification program, which provides the FTC and the Department of Justice with information about large mergers and acquisitions before they occur. The parties to certain proposed transactions must submit premerger notification to the FTC and DOJ. Premerger notification involves completing an HSR Form, also called a “Notification and Report Form for Certain Mergers and Acquisitions,” with information about each company’s business. The parties may not close their deal until the waiting period outlined in the HSR Act has passed, or the government has granted early termination of the waiting period. For more information about the program, read our Introductory Guides. The FTC administers the premerger notification program, and the staff of the Premerger Notification Office is available to answer questions about how and when to file.
Special Highlights
- What's New?
- Revised thresholds are now in effect. Feb. 11, 2013
- Commission issues proposed amendments to the Premerger Rules related to the withdrawal of HSR filings.
- The new HSR thresholds for 2013 have been published in the Federal Register with an effective date of February 11, 2013.
- 2013 Revised HSR Thresholds Announced
- Comments on the Proposed Rules related to patent rights in the Pharmaceutical industry are here.
- Updated HSR Enforcement Action index.
- New guidelines posted on the Style Sheet and the Item 5 Tip Sheet. See the What’s New page for details.
- Proposed Amendments to the Premerger Rules Related to the Transfer of Patent Rights in the Pharmaceutical Industry
- New chronological index of informal interpretation letters now available.
- Item 4(c) Tip Sheet now available.
- Index of all HSR Enforcement Actions updated.
- Updated Post-Consummation Filings (HSR Violations) page. Added new index of all HSR enforcement actions.
- PNO News Archive