EU’s delayed investigation of Dow-DuPont merger threatens to kill deal

…Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. hoped to merge “during the second half of 2016,” the companies said in their July letter to shareholders, who approved the deal…

The partners still need approvals from national regulators. The European Commission… this summer called DuPont’s initial defense of the merger’s impact on farmers and other customers “insufficient,” asked for more time, and finally froze its investigation awaiting more information from the partners.

If delays repeat, the EU probe could become an issue: “The merger agreement may be terminated” if the deal isn’t done “by March 15, 2017,” the partners told shareholders…  Or they may stretch the deadline until June 15 if “any legal restraint is in effect in the United States, European Union, China, Brazil, Canada or other jurisdiction”…

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In August, the EC opened its own case listing “preliminary concerns” about the merger here, including whether “the proposed merger could reduce competition” for crop herbacides, fungicides…  gene-editing technologies…

EC worries the merger, by combining two leading producers, could drive up prices and reduce pesticide choices, hurting farmers and consumers.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: CONFIRMED: DuPont to resume salary increases, bonuses, promotions as merger cuts loom