18 No. 42231 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14 FEBRUARY 2019 Act No. 18 of 2018 Competition Amendment Act, 2018 18 (c) on the security of infrastructure, including processes, systems, facilities, technologies, networks, assets and services essential to the health, safety, security or economic well-being of citizens and the effective functioning of government; (d) on the supply of critical goods or services to citizens, or the supply of 5 (f) (e) goods or services to government; to enable foreign surveillance or espionage, or hinder current or future intelligence or law enforcement operations; on the Republic’s international interests, including foreign relation- ships; to enable or facilitate the activities of illicit actors, such as terrorists, terrorist organisations or organised crime; and (h) on the economic and social stability of the Republic. (5) The President must issue regulations governing— (g) (a) the notification, processes, procedure and timeframes to be followed by the Committee referred to in subsection (1) when performing its functions under this section; and (b) access to information concerning the merger, including confidential information. (6) A foreign acquiring firm which is required to notify the Competition Commission in terms of section 13A(1) of an intended merger must, at the time of the notification of the merger to the Competition Commission, file a notice with the Committee referred to in subsection (1) in the prescribed form and manner if the merger relates to the list of national security interests of the Republic as identified by the President in terms of subsection (3). (7) Within 60 days of receipt by the Committee referred to in subsection (1) of a notice in terms of subsection (6), or such further period which the President may agree to, on good cause shown, the Committee must consider and decide on whether the merger involving a foreign acquiring firm may have an adverse effect on the national security interests of the Republic identified by the President in terms of subsection (3). (8) The Committee referred to in subsection (1) may take into account other relevant factors, including whether the foreign acquiring firm is a firm controlled by a foreign government. (9) During its consideration of a merger in terms of this section, the Committee may consult and seek the advice of the Competition Commis- sion or any other relevant regulatory authority or public institution. (10) The Minister must, within 30 days of the decision contemplated in 10 15 20 25 30 35 subsection (7)— (a) publish a notice in the Gazette of the decision to permit, permit with 40 (b) conditions or prohibit the implementation of a merger; and inform the National Assembly, in appropriate detail, of the decision. (11) The Competition Commission may not consider a merger in terms of section 12A, and the Competition Tribunal may not consider a merger in terms of section 16(2), if the foreign acquiring firm failed to notify the Committee in terms of subsection (6). (12) The Competition Commission may not make a decision in terms of section 13(5)(b) or 14(1)(b), and the Competition Tribunal may not make an order in terms of section 16(2), where the Minister has published a notice in the Gazette prohibiting the implementation of the merger on national security grounds. 45 50 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za Wysigingswet op Mededinging, 2018 Wet No. 18 van 2018 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14 FEBRUARY 2019 No. 42231 19 19 (c) op die veiligheid van infrastruktuur, met inbegrip van prosesse, stelsels, fasiliteite, tegnologieë, netwerke, bates en dienste noodsaak- lik vir die gesondheid, veiligheid, sekuriteit of ekonomiese welstand van burgers en die doeltreffende funksionering van die staat; (d) op die voorsiening van kritieke goedere of dienste aan burgers, of die 5 voorsiening van goedere of dienste aan die staat; toekomstige (e) om vreemde waarneming of spioenasie moontlik te maak, of huidige te of belemmer; op die Republiek se internasionale belange, met inbegrip van vreemde verhoudinge; intelligensie- of wetstoepassings-operasies (f) 10 (g) om die aktiwiteite van onwettige handelaars, soos terroriste, terroriste- organisasies of georganiseerde misdaad moontlik te maak of te vergemaklik; en (h) op die ekonomiese en maatskaplike bestendigheid van die Republiek. 15 (5) Die President moet regulasies uitvaardig wat— (a) die kennisgewing, prosesse, prosedure en tydsbestekke reël wat die Komitee in subartikel (1) bedoel, by die verrigting van daardie Komitee se funksies kragtens hierdie artikel moet volg; en toegang tot inligting aangaande die samesmelting, met inbegrip van vertroulike inligting, reël. (b) (6) ’n Vreemde verkrygende firma wat die Mededingingskommissie ingevolge artikel 13A(1) van ’n voorgenome samesmelting in kennis moet stel, moet, wanneer die Mededingingskommissie van die samesmelting in kennis gestel word, ’n kennisgewing by die Komitee bedoel in subartikel (1) indien op die voorgeskrewe wyse en in die voorgeskrewe vorm, as die samesmelting verband hou met die lys van nasionale veiligheidsbelange van die Republiek soos ingevolge subartikel (3) deur die President geïdentifiseer. (7) Binne 60 dae vanaf ontvangs deur die Komitee bedoel in subartikel (1) van ’n kennisgewing ingevolge subartikel (6), of sodanige verdere tydperk waarvoor die President kan toestemming gee, by die aanvoer van goeie gronde, moet die Komitee oorweeg en beslis of die samesmelting wat ’n vreemde verkrygende firma betrek, ’n nadelige uitwerking kan hê op die nasionale veiligheidsbelange van die Republiek ingevolge subartikel (3) deur die President geïdentifiseer. (8) Die Komitee in subartikel (1) bedoel kan ander tersaaklike faktore in ag neem, met inbegrip van hetsy die vreemde verkrygende firma ’n firma onder beheer van ’n vreemde regering is. (9) Tydens die oorweging van ’n samesmelting ingevolge hierdie artikel, kan die Komitee oorleg pleeg met en die raad kry van die Mededingings- kommissie of enige ander tersaaklike regulerende owerheid of openbare instelling. (10) Die Minister moet, binne 30 dae vanaf die beslissing in subartikel (7) beoog— (a) ’n kennisgewing in die Staatskoerant publiseer oor die beslissing om die implementering van die samesmelting toe te laat, met voorwaardes toe te laat of te verbied; of (b) die Nasionale Vergadering, met gepaste besonderhede, oor die gepaste besluit inlig. (11) Die Mededingingskommissie mag nie ’n samesmelting ingevolge artikel 12A oorweeg nie, en die Mededingingstribunaal mag nie ’n samesmelting ingevolge artikel 16(2) oorweeg nie indien die vreemde verkrygende firma versuim het om die Komitee ingevolge subartikel (6) in kennis te stel. (12) Die Mededingingskommissie mag nie ’n beslissing ingevolge artikel 13(5)(b) of 14(1)(b) vel nie, en die Mededingingstribunaal mag nie ’n bevel ingevolge artikel 16(2) maak nie, waar die Minister ’n kennisgewing in die Staatskoerant gepubliseer het wat implementering van die samesmelting op gronde van nasionale veiligheid verbied. 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za