Book Review- European Takeovers: The Art of Acquisition, Second Edition, Editor: Jeremy Grant, 2018, Globe Law and Business, Pages: 370

Abstract

This book analyses some very important aspects of the Takeover Bids Directive (Directive 2004/25)1 and scrutinises the implementation of the Takeover Bids Directive in some Member States. It explores both theoretical and practical aspects of its implementation. The first edition of this book was published in 2005, only a year after the enactment of the Takeover Bids Directive. This is the second edition of this book, which provides a fresh view on the Takeover Bids Directive a significant period after its adoption. The deadline for the implementation of the Takeover Bids Directive was 12 years (2006) before the publication of this book. This quite long period constitutes a safe basis for the deduction of useful conclusions on its implementation. This is a safe point at which to critically evaluate the Takeover Bids Directive, because during this period a significant number of takeover bids took place on the basis of this directive, and the academic debate revealed some of its deficiencies. The biggest advantage of this edited book is that it is the most recent collection of papers seeking to scrutinise the transposition of the Takeover Bids Directive. The fact that this is the most recent book examining thematic and domestic experiences from the implementation of the Takeover Bids Directive contributes to its originality and distinctiveness. The chapters of this edited book, which are written by prominent academics and practitioners, are also excellent from a substantive point of view. It is certainly a welcome addition to the ongoing debate about the harmonisation of takeovers at EU level. This book consists broadly of two parts. After an introduction by the editor, the first part includes three thematic chapters scrutinising various interesting and challenging aspects of the Takeover Bids Directive. In the second part, there are chapters analysing national experiences of the implementation of the Takeover Bids Directive in various Member States.

Keywords: takeovers

JEL Classification: K22, K23