An order of the court shall not be made under these Regulations in respect of a proposed merger to which the Mergers, Take-overs and Monopolies (Control) Act, 1978 applies until either -
(a) the Minister has stated in writing that he has decided not to make an order under section 9 of that Act, in relation to the proposed merger, or
(b) the Minister has stated in writing that he has made a conditional order under that section in relation to the proposed merger, or
(c) the relevant period within the meaning of section 6 of that Act (which relates to a limitation on the commencement of a merger) has elapsed without the Minister's having made an order under the said section 9 in relation to the proposed merger,
whichever first occurs.