Viatris Fine in Morocco
Morocco’s competition regulator fined U.S. pharmaceutical giant Viatris Inc. 7.58 million dirhams ($760,000) for failing to notify authorities about its merger.
The fine, amounting to 2.5% of Viatris’ revenue in Morocco for the previous year, has already been paid to the Moroccan treasury. 
In 2020, Viatris formed through the merger of Mylan and Pfizer’s Upjohn division, triggering the regulatory oversight.
Viatris Did Not Notify Morocco’s Regulator About the Merger
Viatris violated notification rules by failing to inform Morocco’s competition authority about the merger in a timely manner. The company, however, chose not to challenge the fine and accepted the penalty for this oversight. Despite this, Viatris has not issued any official comment regarding the matter.
Nevertheless, the company has already paid the fine, ensuring it complied with the legal requirements. Consequently, this step closes the issue, allowing the company to move forward.
Moroccan Authorities Investigate Other Unreported Mergers
The competition regulator in Morocco is expanding its investigations into other potential merger violations. Specifically, authorities are now examining a joint venture between OCP, a phosphate and fertilizer giant, and Fertinagro Biotech.
Additionally, they are investigating the acquisition of Whirlpool’s operations in the Middle East and North Africa by Turkish appliance maker Arcelik.
These deals, along with several others, could face increased scrutiny as part of the ongoing investigation into unreported mergers.
Consequently, the regulator aims to ensure full compliance with merger regulations and prevent anti-competitive practices.
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