Announced Actions for January 25, 2005

Publication of Federal Register notices: The Commission, by a vote of 5-0, has authorized publication of a Federal Register notice announcing the revised thresholds for the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 required by the 2000 amendments to Section 7A of the Clayton Act. Section 7A(a)(2) requires the FTC to revise the jurisdictional thresholds annually, based on the change in gross national product, in accordance with Section 8(a)(5). Certain related thresholds and limitations in the HSR rules also are adjusted by this notice. The notice will be published in the Federal Register shortly and become effective 30 days after publication. The revised thresholds will apply to all transactions that close on or after the effective date of this notice. (FTC File No. P859910; the staff contacts are Marian Bruno and Michael Verne, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2846.)

The Commission, by a vote of 5-0, has authorized publication of a notice of final rulemaking amending the premerger notification rules to reflect adjustment and publication of reporting thresholds as required by the 2000 amendments to Section 7A of the Clayton Act. The 2000 amendments to Section 7A require the FTC to revise the Act’s jurisdictional and filing fee thresholds annually, based on the change in gross national product, in accordance with Section 8(a)(5) for each fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2004. The amendments to the rules reflect the revised thresholds in the examples contained in the rules and provide a method for future adjustments as required by the 2000 amendments. These final rules will also adjust references to the notification and filing fee thresholds and other limitations in the rules, including the Antitrust Improvements Act Notification and Report Form and its Instructions, to remain consistent with the revised jurisdictional and filing fee thresholds. The notice will be published in the Federal Register shortly, and become effective 30 days after publication. (FTC File No. P859910; the staff contacts are Marian Bruno and Michael Verne, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2846.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.