Competition authority meets with Uber, Careem on merger: The Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) met on Thursday with representatives from Uber and Careem to discuss the regulatory approvals necessary for the ride-hailing companies’ planned merger, the ECA said in a statement (pdf). The sit-down “focused on the extent to which investments from new rivals and the competitive environment of the sector could be affected by the transaction.” The ECA has gone after the USD 3.1 bn merger since before it was announced, threatened them with fines of up to EGP 500 mn apiece if they were to proceed. Uber’s prospectus for its listing on the New York Stock Exchange, published last month, noted that the ride sharing app could get a USD 470 mn break on the USD 3.1 bn price tag it put on its acquisition of Careem if the transaction fails to obtain regulatory approvals in certain markets, including Egypt.

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