Merger Update: Safran / Collins

Consultation on undertakings in lieu and publication of full text: ANTICIPATED ACQUISITION BY SAFRAN OF A PART OF COLLINS AEROSPACE'S ACTUATION AND FLIGHT CONTROL BUSINESS

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened a consultation on undertakings in lieu of reference offered by Safran S.A. (Safran) to address competition concerns identified by the CMA over its anticipated acquisition of a part of Collins Aerospace's (Collins) actuation and flight control business (the Merger).

On 28 March 2025, the CMA announced that it would refer the Merger for an in-depth, phase 2 investigation unless the Parties offered acceptable undertakings in lieu to address the CMA's concerns. The CMA has published the text of this decision on the dedicated case page on the CMA's website at Safran / Collins merger inquiry - GOV.UK.

To address the CMA's concerns, Safran has offered to divest parts of Safran's actuation business and related assets consisting of Safran's North American trimmable horizontal stabiliser activities and other assets relating to certain actuation and electronic control unit activities to Woodward Inc.

On 4 April 2025, the CMA announced that it would look in detail at these offered undertakings in lieu. The CMA has until 12 June 2025 to consider whether to accept the undertakings in lieu, or a modified version of them. As part of this process, the CMA is now consulting publicly on whether the proposal is sufficient to address the competition concerns identified by the CMA.

Before reaching a final decision, the CMA is therefore inviting interested parties to make their views known. The deadline for responses is Thursday 24 April 2025.

The consultation on the offered undertakings in lieu and all other information relating to this merger investigation can be found on the dedicated case page on the CMA's website at Safran / Collins merger inquiry - GOV.UK.

In the event of media enquiries please email press@cma.gov.uk.