NMa: Dutch bank Rabobank is allowed to acquire rival bank Friesland Bank

Following an emergency decision issued by the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa), Rabobank, one of the largest banks in the Netherlands, is allowed to acquire the activities of rival bank Friesland Bank. The emergency decision guarantees the continued operation of Friesland Bank’s business activities, thereby taking away concerns among customers, consumers, and the financial markets.

The NMa analyzed the current market situation and the acquisition’s potential effects on competition. In its emergency decision, the NMa came to the conclusion that it did not have to attach additional conditions to the acquisition. In the regular procedure, merger parties usually have to wait a month or longer before they are given the green light to go ahead with the acquisition. That would have been an undesirable situation given the current state of the financial markets.




Meanwhile, the NMa has already received the official concentration notification. The official decision will be released as soon as possible.