Israel Competition Authority sharpens focus on data power in merger reviews
Israel’s Competition Authority is placing greater emphasis on data ownership and access when reviewing mergers, as digital markets and AI make customer information an increasingly important competitive asset.
Tobie Harris, head of the Authority’s Markets Department, told Globes that merger reviews now require deeper analysis of whether one company’s control over data could make it harder for competitors to enter or remain in a market. The Authority recently published a draft merger-review document intended to replace guidance that is 15 years old, with greater attention to the competitive power created by control of data.
Harris said the challenge is not necessarily expanding the number of deals reviewed, but improving the Authority’s ability to identify behind-the-scenes competitive issues in transactions already subject to review. She said Israel’s existing Competition Law is broad enough to address these issues without requiring legislative amendment.
The shift comes as AI places new strategic value on data, particularly for companies in social media, search, finance, and other information-heavy sectors. The Authority is also participating in broader government discussions on AI and data, including in the financial sector, as regulators consider how control of information may shape future competition.
Read more in Globes.
