CHC / Babcock merger inquiry
The CMA is investigating the completed acquisition by CHC Group LLC of Offshore Helicopter Services UK Limited, Offshore Services Australasia Pty Ltd and Offshore Helicopter Services Denmark A/S (previously part of Babcock International Group plc).
Phase 2
Administrative timetable
Date of Reference: 29 November 2021
Statutory deadline: 10 July 2022
- (12.5.22)
Case closure summary
28 April 2023: The purchase of Offshore UK by Ultimate Aviation was approved by the CMA and completed on 1 April 2023. This brings the merger investigation to a close.
- (28.4.23)
Remedies group appointed
30 August 2022: The CMA appointed the Remedy Group.
Kip Meek (Chair), Juliet Lazarus, Cyrus Mehta and Karthik Subramanya.
Final undertakings
24 August 2022: The CMA has accepted final undertakings and the reference has now been fully determined.
- (24.8.22)
- (24.8.22)
Notice of proposal to accept final undertakings
15 July 2022: The CMA gives notice of the proposal to accept final undertakings and is inviting comments by 5pm on 1 August 2022.
- (15.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
Final report
1 June 2022: The CMA has published its final report.
- (1.6.22)
- (1.6.22)
- (1.6.22)
- Press release: CMA requires CHC to unwind helicopter services deal (1.6.22)
Notice of extension of statutory period
- (12.5.22)
Responses to provisional findings and possible remedies
- (23.5.22)
- (14.4.22)
- (14.4.22)
- (14.4.22)
- (6.4.22)
Provisional findings
17 March 2022: The CMA has provisionally found competition concerns as part of its in-depth investigation of the completed acquisition by CHC Group LLC of Offshore Helicopter Services UK Limited, Offshore Services Australasia Pty Ltd and Offshore Helicopter Services Denmark A/S.
The deadline for submitting responses to the provisional findings is 5pm on Thursday 7 April 2022.
The deadline for submitting responses to the notice of possible remedies is 5pm on Thursday 31 March 2022.
- (18.3.22)
- (18.3.22)
- (17.3.22)
- (17.3.22)
- (17.3.22)
- Press release: Helicopter services deal raises competition concerns (17.3.22)
Directions to appoint a monitoring trustee
30 March 2023: On 19 January 2022, pursuant to an initial enforcement order dated 26 May 2021, the CMA directed CHC Group LLC, EEA Helicopter Operations B.V., CHC Scotia Limited, Offshore Helicopter Services UK Limited, Offshore Services Australasia Pty Ltd, and Offshore Helicopter Services Denmark A/S to appoint a monitoring trustee.
- (30.3.23)
Issues statement
16 December 2021: The issues statement sets out the scope of the phase 2 inquiry and outlines the inquiry group’s initial theory of harm. It does not set out any findings or conclusions. The deadline for submitting responses to the issues statement is 5pm, Tuesday 4 January 2022.
- (16.12.21)
- (21.1.22)
Inquiry group appointed
29 November 2021: The CMA has appointed the inquiry group.
Kip Meek (Chair), Juliet Lazarus, Cyrus Mehta, and Karthik Subramanya.
Terms of reference
29 November 2021: The CMA has referred the completed acquisition by CHC Group LLC of Offshore Helicopter Services UK Limited, Offshore Services Australasia Pty Ltd and Offshore Helicopter Services Denmark A/S for an in-depth investigation. A copy of the Terms of Reference will be published in due course.
- (29.11.21)
Phase 1
Statutory timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 18 November 2021 | Decision announced |
| 24 September 2021 | Invitation to comment |
| 23 September 2021 | Launch of merger inquiry |
| 26 May 2021 | Initial enforcement order |
Reference decision
29 November 2021: The CMA has referred the completed acquisition by CHC Group LLC of Offshore Helicopter Services UK Limited, Offshore Services Australasia Pty Ltd and Offshore Helicopter Services Denmark A/S for an in-depth investigation, on the basis that, on the information currently available to it, it is or may be the case that this merger has resulted or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom.
- (29.11.21)
Reference unless undertakings accepted
18 November 2021: The CMA has decided, on the information currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for a phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer acceptable undertakings to address these competition concerns.
- (23.12.21)
- (18.11.21)
- News story: Helicopter services deal raises competition concerns (18.11.21)
Launch of merger inquiry
23 September 2021: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.
- (24.9.21)
Invitation to comment: closed.
24 September 2021: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.
To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.
These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above.
Initial enforcement order
26 May 2021: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has served an initial enforcement order under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 on CHC Group LLC, EEA Helicopter Operations B.V., CHC Scotia Limited, Babcock Mission Critical Services Offshore Limited, Babcock Offshore Services Australasia Pty Ltd, and Babcock Denmark A/S in relation to the acquisition by CHC Group LLC of Babcock Mission Critical Services Offshore Limited, Babcock Offshore Services Australasia Pty Ltd, and Babcock Denmark A/S.
- (11.6.21)
Amendments / consents granted
- (30.03.23)
- (30.03.23)
- (30.03.23)
- (30.03.23)
- (30.03.23)
- (30.03.23)
- (30.03.23)
- (30.03.23)
- (22.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (22.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (30.03.23)
- (15.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (15.7.22)
- (30.03.23)
- (22.7.22)
- (22.7.22)
- (8.12.21)
- (8.12.21)
- (3.9.21)
Contact
Please send written representations about any competition issues to: general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk
Updates to this page
Published 11 June 2021Last updated 28 April 2023 + show all updates
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Case closure summary published.
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Derogations published.
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Remedies group appointment published.
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Notice to accept final undertakings and final undertakings published.
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Derogations published.
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Notice of proposal to accept undertakings, draft final undertakings and derogations published.
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Final report published.
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Summary of final report published.
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Additional response to provisional findings published.
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Notice of extension and update to administrative timetable.
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Parties’ responses to provisional findings and remedies notice published.
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Parties response to provisional findings and possible remedies published.
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Full provisional findings, appendices and glossary published.
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Summary of provisional findings, notice of provisional findings and notice of possible remedies published.
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Response to Issues Statement published.
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Reference unless undertakings accepted full text decision published.
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Issues statement published.
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Derogation, variation and administrative timetable published.
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Terms of reference and decision to refer published.
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Phase 2 reference decision, administration timetable and inquiry group appointment published.
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Summary of the phase 1 decision published.
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Launch of merger inquiry and commencement notice published.
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Derogation published.
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First published.