The Hungarian Competition Authority, known as GVH, is responsible for overseeing all significant mergers and acquisitions that impact the economy. In a recent episode of the GVH podcast, Attila Dudra, a member of the GVH Competition Council, elaborated on the meaning of merger control and the challenges faced by the authority in this area.

The GVH's merger control process consists of multiple stages designed to accelerate the assessment of simpler cases while allowing for more thorough investigations of complex cases. Before submitting a merger notification, businesses can consult with GVH experts to avoid data deficiencies that could lead to procedural delays. This pre-consultation helps facilitate a faster review process, often resulting in the issuance of a certificate of approval by the authority.

Since 2018, the average processing time for these certificates has been just four days, indicating a notably efficient merger control system. In 2024, the GVH made a total of 70 merger decisions, with 62 of these—nearly 90%—approved through the issuance of certificates due to the absence of potential competition issues.

For simplified merger reviews, the average processing time was 26 days, while comprehensive reviews took 78 days. The mergers examined by the GVH typically span a wide range of national economic sectors, with a high volume of transactions in trade, manufacturing, energy, and financial services recorded in 2024.

To further reduce administrative burdens on domestic businesses, the GVH has introduced simplified forms for a specific category of mergers. In 2024, 18 notifications, representing nearly one-third of all submissions, were made using these simplified forms.

The latest podcast episode, along with previous installments, is available on the GVH website, its YouTube channel, and the national competition authority's Spotify channel.