{"id":24620,"date":"2025-08-19T15:19:43","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T13:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/valloni.ch\/2025\/08\/19\/hunting-and-sport-shooting-the-french-competition-authority-unconditionally-clears-the-merger-between-the-fn-browning-group-and-sofisport\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T15:19:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T13:19:43","slug":"hunting-and-sport-shooting-the-french-competition-authority-unconditionally-clears-the-merger-between-the-fn-browning-group-and-sofisport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/valloni.ch\/de\/2025\/08\/19\/hunting-and-sport-shooting-the-french-competition-authority-unconditionally-clears-the-merger-between-the-fn-browning-group-and-sofisport\/","title":{"rendered":"HUNTING AND SPORT SHOOTING: THE FRENCH COMPETITION AUTHORITY UNCONDITIONALLY CLEARS THE MERGER BETWEEN THE FN BROWNING GROUP AND SOFISPORT"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

In its\u00a0Decision 25-DCC-172 of 25 July 2025<\/strong>, the\u00a0French Competition Authority (Au<\/em><\/strong>torit\u00e9 de la concurrence<\/em>) (the Authority) announced in an official Press Release that it had unconditionally cleared the acquisition of\u00a0exclusive control of Sofisport<\/strong>\u00a0by the\u00a0FN Browning Group (FNBG)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

FNBG, a Belgian group, specialises in the manufacture and distribution of firearms and ammunition for the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, as well as metallic ammunition for big game hunting and sport shooting.<\/p>\n

Sofisport, a French company, is a key player in the manufacture of cartridges for hunting and sport shooting, producing both white-label cartridges for competitors and its own branded cartridges. It also manufactures and supplies cartridge components and, as a secondary activity, distributes firearms and ammunition.<\/p>\n

This case marks the\u00a0first time that<\/strong>\u00a0the Authority has reviewed the civilian ammunition and firearms sector under the French Merger Control Rules, which comprise articles L.430-1 to L.430-10 and R.430-1 to R.430-10 of the French Commercial Code and the Merger Control Guidelines of 23 July 2020.<\/p>\n

The Authority defined the relevant markets as covering the manufacture of white-label cartridges and the wholesale distribution of branded cartridges, metallic ammunition, and firearms (rifles, shotguns, handguns).<\/p>\n

Following a market investigation, the Authority ruled out any risks to competition:<\/p>\n