The Latvian competition authority (KP) received a merger notification on October 13, 2026, from SIA ARS Holding concerning its acquisition of decisive influence over SIA Medicīnas sabiedrība ARS (ARS).

SIA ARS Holding and its associated companies are involved in investment management and private equity investments across various sectors, including information technology, healthcare services in Estonia, and composite material design and manufacturing. They also operate in oil, gas, aquaculture, reusable fabric and paper bag production, unified communications, and cloud telephony solutions in the Baltic and Nordic regions.

In Latvia, ARS Holding primarily engages in fund management, investment administration, IT consulting, and corporate management system implementation. They also deal with the sale and installation of heating and cooling equipment, real estate management, and IT platform development for corporate clients.

ARS is a private medical society providing a wide range of healthcare services in Latvia, including consultations from various specialists, surgical procedures, disease prevention, outpatient and day hospital treatments, emergency medical assistance, rehabilitation, and dental services. ARS operates exclusively within Latvia.

The merger notification indicates that the merging parties do not operate in the same specific market, thus there is no overlap in their activities. Although both parties are involved in healthcare services, these services are provided in different jurisdictions, ensuring no overlap in their operations within Latvia.

The KP must decide on the merger's approval, prohibition, or conditional approval within one month of receiving the notification. If a detailed investigation is required, the decision period may extend up to three months from the notification date.

Market participants or other interested parties wishing to provide feedback on the merger's impact on competition are invited to do so by October 23, 2026, by contacting the senior expert Vita Ozere at vita.ozere@kp.gov.lv or filling out the provided questionnaire.