France Raises Merger Control Notification Thresholds

June 1, 2026

Following its adoption by the French Parliament in April 2026, the Simplification Bill, which raises the monetary thresholds triggering mandatory pre-merger notification to the French Competition Authority (the FCA), was enacted on May 26, 2026.

The new thresholds will enter into force on September 1, 2026 and will apply to concentrations notified to the FCA as from that date.

Increased Merger Control Notification Thresholds

The new thresholds have been introduced as part of the Bill on the Simplification of Economic Life (the Simplification Bill).[1] 

Article 24 of the Simplification Bill raises the turnover thresholds above which transactions must be notified to the FCA, replacing thresholds that have been in place for over 20 years. Under the new regime, a concentration must be notified to the FCA if the following thresholds are met, provided the transaction does not fall within the scope of the EU Merger Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004):

  • General threshold:
    • The parties’ combined worldwide turnover exceeds €250 million (up from €150 million under the previous regime);
    • At least two parties each have an individual turnover in France exceeding €80 million (up from €50 million under the previous regime).
  • Retail-specific threshold for transactions involving retail commerce (where at least two parties operate one or more retail stores):
    • The parties’ combined worldwide turnover exceeds €100 million (up from €75 million under the previous regime);
    • At least two parties each have an individual turnover in France  exceeding €20 million (up from €15 million under the previous regime).

Transactions carried out in French overseas departments and territories (départements et collectivités d’outre-mer) are not affected by these changes and remain subject to the existing thresholds.

Enactment and Entry Into Force

Following its adoption by the French Parliament in April 2026, the Simplification Bill completed the legislative process and was enacted on May 26, 2026. While the Constitutional Court (Conseil constitutionnel) removed certain provisions unrelated to the subject matter of the bill,[2] the provisions increasing the French merger control notification thresholds were maintained and are now set out in Article 24 of the enacted law.

The new thresholds will take effect on the first day of the fourth month following the date of publication of the Simplification Bill, and will apply to all transactions formally notified to the FCA from that date onwards.

Accordingly, the new regime should enter into force and apply to concentrations notified on or after September 1, 2026.

Background and Context

The existing general merger control thresholds of €150 million (worldwide) and €50 million (France) have been in place since 2004 and are widely regarded as no longer reflecting the evolution of France’s economy, GDP, and inflation over the last two decades. The reform has been broadly supported by industry stakeholders and the FCA alike. In 2025, the FCA reviewed a record 328 transactions,[3] representing an 11% increase compared to the previous year.[4] The threshold increase is expected to reduce the volume of transactions subject to mandatory notification to the FCA, allowing it to concentrate its resources on transactions of greater economic significance. In parallel, the FCA is seeking the introduction of new legislation that would enable it to review below-threshold transactions.[5] While the precise contours of this new call-in power, as well as the timeline for its potential adoption, remain highly uncertain, the FCA has recently issued several high-profile decisions indicating that, in the interim, it is prepared to rely on antitrust rules to review below-threshold concentrations.[6]

[1] See the Simplification Bill, as adopted by the French National Assembly and Senate, available here.

[2] See French Constitutional Court Decision No. 2026-903 DC on 21 May 2026, available here.

[3] See FCA press release, “2025: a year of action for the Autorité de la concurrence,” 8 January 2026, available here.

[4] In 2024, the FCA reviewed a record 295 transactions. See FCA press release, “2024, a historic year for the Autorité de la concurrence: €1.4 billion in fines imposed and a record 295 mergers examined,” 15 January 2025, available here.

[5] See FCA, Roadmap 2025-2026, page 8, available here.

[6] See FCA Decisions No. 24-D-05 of 2 May 2024, regarding practices implemented in the animal rendering sector and FCA Decision No. 25-D-06 of 6 November 2025, regarding practices implemented in the online medical appointment booking and remote medical consultation solutions sector.