Grab’s acquisition of Uber scrutinised

Photo shows a group of GrabBike riders in Hà Nội. Grab’s acquisition of the transport-tech firm Uber’s business in Việt Nam has met with strong opposition and scrutiny from the domestic market regulators and transportation firms. — VNS Photo Việt Thanh

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Industry and Trade has set up a council to scrutinise alleged violations of competition regulations in ride-hailing services firm Grab’s acquisition of Uber’s business in Việt Nam.

Investigations will look at Grab Limited Company and Uber Việt Nam, both based in HCM City. Six other companies which were suspected of being involved will also be investigated but the ministry did not disclose their names.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Quốc Khánh said the council would review Grab’s acquisition of Uber’s operations in Việt Nam, findings of the Việt Nam Competition and Consumer Protection Authority and explanations by relevant parties and existing regulations to make a decision.

According to the Việt Nam Competition and Consumer Protection Authority’s findings, announced in mid-December, the acquisition violated regulations on economic concentration in the Law on Competition.

The competition authority found that Grab’s market share was more than  五0 per cent after the purchase.

Under the current regulations, if Grab held a market share between  三0 and  五0 per cent after the acquisition deal without reporting it to the management agency, the firm could be fined up to  一0 per cent of its revenue for the  二0 一 七 fiscal year. If the market share exceeded  五0 per cent, the acquisition deal might be banned.

Grab responded by saying it did not violate laws, claiming its market share was below  三0 per cent following the sale deal and citing differences in market share calculations between the company and the competition authority.

In March  二0 一 八, Grab announced it had completed the acquisition of Uber’s operations in Southeast Asia, including Việt Nam. In exchange, Uber held a stake of  二 七. 五 per cent in Grab.

In last September, Singapore’s competition watchdog fined Grab $ 六. 四 二 million and Uber US$ 六. 五 八 million over their merger, saying the deal had led to the erosion of competition in the ride-hailing market, the Channel News Asia reported. — VNS