Announced Action for August 27, 2003

Release of Commission report: The Commission, with the concurrence of the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, has authorized the release of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Report to Congress Regarding the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Premerger Notification Program. The report summarizes Commission and Department of Justice (DOJ) actions conducted under the HSR Act in fiscal year 2002, noting that 1,187 premerger filings were received – 1,189 fewer than the 2,376 filings received in fiscal year 2001, and 3,739 fewer than in 2000, the record year for premerger filing receipts. The report also describes the HSR Act, and provides a historical overview of how the federal antitrust agencies have implemented the Act since its enactment in the late 1970s. The report then presents FY 2002 developments relating to compliance with the Premerger Notification Rules and Procedures, followed by a discussion of both FTC and DOJ merger enforcement activities during the year. Finally, the report includes a summary of the ongoing reassessment of the effects of the Premerger Notification Program. Appendices provide a summary of transactions for fiscal years 1993-2002 and the number of transactions reported as filings by month during this time. A statistical table presents data profiling HSR filings and enforcement interest during FY 2002. The Commission vote to issue the report, which is available on the FTC’s Web site as a link to this press release, was 5-0. (FTC File No. P989316; staff contact is Marian Bruno, 202-326-2846.)

Commission approval of final consent order: Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved a final consent order in the matter concerning Global Instruments, Ltd. The FTC vote to approve the final order was 4-0-1, with Commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour not participating. (FTC File No. 022-3122; staff contact is Connie Vecellio or Patricia Bak, 202-326-2966 or 202-326-2842; see press release dated July 18, 2003.)

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.