EU Aims to Simplify Approval Process for Pan-European Mergers

EU's Initiative for Mergers

By Foo Yun Chee

Regulatory Changes and Objectives

BRUSSELS, Feb 12 (Reuters) - European companies looking to build scale through acquisitions to better compete with non-EU rivals could increase their chances of winning regulatory approval if deals are on a pan-European level, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Focus on Innovation and Sustainability

The European Commission is aiming to set down conditions for deal approvals in its overhaul of merger rules dating from 2004, the people said. A draft will be published in the spring for feedback before regulators implement any changes.

Market Power and Competition

The EU proposal to encourage more pan-European mergers comes amid calls from businesses, especially telecoms operators, for looser EU merger rules to allow them to scale up and as Europe looks to reduce its economic dependence on the U.S. and China. 

Regulators want to encourage pan-European deals rather than national deals which boost the market power of a few players.

The Commission, which acts as the EU competition enforcer, declined to comment on Thursday.

Discussions on the benefits of a merger which regulators will take into account when assessing deals are now focused on innovation, sustainability, resilience, investment and employment, the sources said.

Companies stand a better chance with innovation arguments, they said, as the others are more difficult to quantify.

EU merger rules traditionally seek to ensure that deals do not result in price hikes and fewer products, which critics say should be broadened to take into account innovation and investment and other factors.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)