Public interest intervention notice

A Public interest intervention notice is a formal step in the UK's merger-review process. The Secretary of State can issue one under section 42 of the Enterprise Act 2002 when the statutory requirements are met. It identifies the merger and the public-interest considerations that may be relevant. If a proposed consideration has not been finalised, the notice must also give a timetable for doing so. [Statutory notice requirements](https://www.legislation.GOV.UK/ukpga/2002/40/section/43).

In media cases, the Competition and Markets Authority and Ofcom provide reports within their respective remits. Those reports inform the minister's subsequent decisions. A notice begins this process and does not itself approve or prohibit a transaction. A preliminary letter saying that a minister is minded to intervene comes before the decision to issue the notice. [Government explanation of the process](https://assets.publishing.service.GOV.UK/media/6ad0b8df0f7b53973e026726/261015_SoS_Minded_to_Intervene_Letter_to_Sky_re_Sky-ITV__Redacted.pdf).