Notice of Policy of Disclosing Investigations of Announced Mergers

Résumé

The Federal Trade Commission is revising its policy concerning disclosure of investigations. The Commission's policy is to conduct its investigations on a nonpublic basis. In the past, the Commission has established some narrow exceptions to that policy. The Commission is now establishing an additional exception for circumstances in which a party to a merger or other transaction has publicly disclosed the existence of a transaction or proposed transaction in a press release or in a public filing with a government body. In those limited circumstances, the Commission authorizes public disclosure of whether the agency is investigating the transaction or proposal under Section 7 and 11 of the Clayton Act. Inquires seeking disclosure under this authority should be addressed to the Commission's Office of Public Affairs. This change of policy will more closely conform the Commission's practice in such matters with that of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. The change of policy does not alter the Commission's confidentiality policies or practices with respect to documents and information submitted to or developed by the agency in connection with such investigations, or wi