The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating whether the completed merger of Bottomline and the EPG business raises competition concerns.
Both companies provide payments software used by businesses every day to submit direct debits, run payroll, and pay suppliers. This directly connects to the UK’s Bankers’ Automated Clearing Services (Bacs) scheme Bacstel-IP service and Faster Payments System Direct Corporate Access (FPS DCA). Bottomline and EPG are 2 leading providers of the software, with Bottomline by far the largest and EPG a trusted supplier to some of the biggest businesses.
After completing its initial Phase 1 investigation, the CMA is concerned that the new, merged company may increase prices, reduce product availability, or reduce its investment in innovation. This is mainly because if Bottomline had not acquired EPG, there would have been a realistic chance that EPG would have been bought by a different firm, which could have resulted in a more competitive market with greater product development and more choice for customers.
Full Content: Gov UK
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
UK Competition Watchdog to Investigate Carlsberg’s £3.3bn Takeover of Britvic
Sep 11, 2024 by
CPI
News Corp Faced Millions in Losses by Moving Away from Google Ads, Ex-Executive Testifies
Sep 10, 2024 by
CPI
EU Faces Critical Innovation Gap, Draghi Report Urges Antitrust Reforms
Sep 10, 2024 by
CPI
Womble Bond Dickinson and Lewis Roca to Merge, Forming 1,300-Lawyer Firm
Sep 10, 2024 by
CPI
Federal Judge Dismisses Antitrust Lawsuit Against Fidelity and Schwab
Sep 10, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Canada & Mexico
Sep 3, 2024 by
CPI
Competitive Convergence: Mexico’s 30-Year Quest for Antitrust Parity with its Northern Neighbor
Sep 3, 2024 by
CPI
Competition and Digital Markets in North America: A Comparative Study of Antitrust Investigations in Mexico and the United States
Sep 3, 2024 by
CPI
Recent Antitrust Development in Mexico: COFECE’s Preliminary Report on Amazon and Mercado Libre
Sep 3, 2024 by
CPI
The Cost of Making COFECE Disappear
Sep 3, 2024 by
CPI