How long does ICA merger review take, and can it be expedited?

The Israel Competition Authority (ICA) has a statutory 30-day period from receipt of a complete filing to issue an initial decision (Section 21 of the ECL). If the initial review raises concerns, the Director General may open a full investigation, extending the review to 90 days, and in complex cases six months or longer.

Expedited review is not formally available as a right, but the ICA will engage with applicants who demonstrate genuine time constraints. A thorough filing package — clear market-share data, competitive overlaps analysis, and audited financials — cuts the chance of follow-up information requests that reset the 30-day clock. For more detail, see Economic Competition Law in Israel: What Every Foreign Company Needs to Know.