On March 28, 2025, the UK Competition and Markets Authority published a report on the findings of its phase 1 investigation into the anticipated acquisition of actuation and flight control company Collins Aerospace (a business unit of US-based RTX Corporation) by Safran S.A., a company based in France that designs and manufactures aerospace equipment. According to the CMA report, there is a realistic prospect that the merger will substantially lessen competition in the global supply of trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuation systems (“THSA”), including supplies in the United Kingdom. The CMA also revealed that, early in the investigation, Collins, Safran, and RTX (“the Parties”) formally conceded that the merger would affect the THSA market and expressed their intention to offer undertakings that will remedy the effects. The Parties also subsequently informed that CMA that they had entered into a conditional agreement with a third party that had agreed to purchase a majority of Safran’s THSA business. Because of the Parties’ concession regarding the merger’s impact on the THSA market, the CMA added that it was working with the Parties on proposed undertakings that might address this issue.
As a result of the CMA’ findings, Safran, Collins and RTX will have until April 4, 2025 to offer undertakings that will remedy the identified competition concerns. If no undertakings are offered by the deadline or the offerings are insufficient to remedy the concerns, the CMA will launch an in-depth phase 2 investigation into the merger pursuant to sections 33(1) and 34ZA(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002.
CMA Decision Summary | CMA case – Safran/Collins merger inquiry