The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) has given the green light to the acquisition by the Accenture group of ARHS Developments S.A. and some of its subsidiaries. The transaction involves Accenture Holdings B.V. gaining sole control over ARHS Developments S.A. and its subsidiaries.

Both parties are active in providing IT services, with ARHS Developments S.A. specializing in managing complex public sector IT projects. The Accenture group, a global provider of IT and consulting services, operates in 49 countries and serves clients in over 120 countries, with a significant presence in Belgium through Accenture NV/SA.

The notified concentration raised horizontal overlaps in the market for IT services and some of its segments. However, the BCA found that the conditions for applying the simplified procedure were met and did not raise objections to the acquisition.

The BCA is an independent administrative authority in Belgium that enforces competition policy, targeting anti-competitive practices like cartels and abuses of dominance. It also reviews major merger operations and collaborates with other competition authorities in the EU through the European Competition Network (ECN).