The Chinese MOFCOM conditionally clears a merger in the market for production and sale of beer (AB InBev / SABMiller)

On 29 July 2016, AB InBev’s acquisition of SABMiller was conditionally approved by the MOFCOM. With the acquisition, AB InBev acquires SABMiller’s 49% interest in CR Snow. When Anheuser-Busch acquired InBev back in 2008, the MOFCOM approved that acquisition on the condition that, inter alia, if AB InBev sought to acquire shares in CR Snow, it must notify the MOFCOM and seek its approval. Whilst the formal review period took just over 4 months, in fact AB InBev had begun pre-notification discussions with the MOFCOM in December 2015. This was 3 months before it submitted a formal notification on 8 March 2016, which was regarded as