U.S. pharmaceutical giant Viatris Inc. has been slapped with a fine of 7.58 million dirhams (approximately $760,000) by Morocco’s competition regulator. The penalty stems from the company’s failure to notify authorities about its merger, according to two official sources.
The fine, which amounts to 2.5% of Viatris’ revenue in Morocco for the previous year, has already been paid into the Moroccan treasury. Viatris did not contest the ruling and chose not to appeal the decision.
The merger that led to this penalty occurred in 2020, when Viatris was formed through the combination of Mylan, which operates in Morocco, and Pfizer’s Upjohn business. The company’s oversight in this process triggered the fine from the regulator, who is now looking into other potential violations.
In addition to Viatris, the competition authority is investigating other cases where companies may have failed to properly notify authorities about mergers. Among the deals under scrutiny are a joint venture between Morocco’s OCP and Fertinagro Biotech, as well as the acquisition of Whirlpool’s Middle East and North Africa operations by Turkish company Arcelik.
Neither OCP nor Arcelik provided immediate comments in response to Reuters’ inquiries. As investigations continue, the focus on corporate mergers in Morocco grows stronger.
Viatris, which is based in the U.S., has not yet responded to an emailed request for comment. The regulatory review and subsequent fines reflect Morocco’s increasing attention to maintaining fair competition in its growing market.
