Killer-acquisitions by the big tech giants and the EU’s merger control in a fast-evolving digital era

Sammanfattning: This research paper examines the European Union's merger control regime and its efficacy in addressing the killer acquisitions by big tech firms in the fast-evolving digital sphere. It investigates the legal framework, competition policy objectives, and more importantly the impact of the digital sector on EU competition policy. Furthermore, it critically analyses the killer acquisitions by the big tech firms, and their collateral impact on innovation and the EU competition policy, concerns about anti-competitive conduct, and examines the strategies employed by big tech firms that have posed a huge challenge to the EU’s competition policy. Primarily focusing on investigating the challenges posed to the EU merger control regime by the fast-evolving digital sector, including the notification requirement and the discourses around the transactional value that is opposed to the traditional EU merger control approach. The research inquiry concludes by underscoring the growing need for ongoing assessment and reform initiatives to ensure fair competition in the digital sphere.