From India, this breaking news in the Business Standard article by Rajesh Bhayani of Mumbai May 23, 2018
excerpted from the entire article here:
The Competition Commission of India has approved the mega merger of Bayer AG with Monsanto, albeit with certain conditions.
CCI's approval of the $66 billion deal, proposed in September 2016, will make the merged entity the world's largest seed and pesticide player. But for that to happen, Monsanto Holdings Pvt Ltd will have to sell its 26 per cent holding in Mahyco Monsanto Biotech India Ltd. CCI has also stipulated that "the merged entity will have to maintain non-exclusive distribution channels and a policy of broad-based non-exclusive licensing of GM and non-GM traits currently commercialised in India or to be introduced by the combined entity in the future, on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory basis."
"The company will also have to grant non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sub licensable, royalty bearing licenses on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms to its digital farming products and platforms commercialized in India," stipulated CCI.
The Bayer-Monsanto deal will give the new entity control over two-thirds of its sector globally. Other mergers that were cleared include the Dow-Dupont conglomerate and ChemChina's acquisition of Syngenta.
Monsanto is majorly into the business of GM cotton seeds in India, but has stopped making fresh investments in the country, after the government restricted the price of GM seeds and trait fees.
Last month Russia and China's regulators approved the merger and EU approved the deal with conditions set in March. Bayer has now received approvals for the deal from two-thirds of some 30 regulatory authorities, including those in Brazil and China, Russia, EU and India. Now, among most important jurisdictions such as the US department of Justice and Canada are awaited.
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