Finance
Ireland, Finland, others warn against relaxing EU merger rules
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 23, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 23, 2026
Quick Summary
Finland, Ireland, Czechia, Estonia and Latvia urge Brussels not to relax EU merger rules. As an April revamp nears, they argue size won’t spur investment and prefer sectoral policy over changes to competition law.
Finland, Ireland lead warning against easing EU merger controls
EU Merger Policy Debate
By Julia Payne and Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Finland, Ireland, the Czech Republic and two Baltic countries have warned against loosening EU merger rules in response to calls by some companies for easier regulatory scrutiny of their deals in order to better compete with non-EU rivals.
Commission Plans to Revamp Rules
The European Commission, which acts as the bloc's competition enforcer, is now revamping merger rules dating from 2004 and aims to publish proposals for feedback in April. The aim is to encourage pan-European mergers, sources have told Reuters.
Member States Push Back
The five countries, including Estonia and Latvia, wrote in a note seen by Reuters that Europe does not need to relax EU merger rules to create European champions because the existing rules already allow for these where the economic evidence supports it.
EU Ministers to Discuss on Feb. 26
"Size in itself should not be the primary objective" of mergers, they said in the document that is to be discussed at a meeting of EU ministers on Feb. 26, calling to pursue "undertakings that succeed through efficiency, innovation and fair competition instead of exemptions or special treatment".
Telecom Investment Claims Disputed
They refuted arguments, especially from European telecoms operators, that bigger companies would spur more investments, instead supporting regulators who note little evidence of such an effect.
"The empirical link between higher concentration and stronger investment incentives in telecom markets is at best inconclusive and should be analysed on case-by-case basis," the countries said.
Risks of Supplier Dependence
They said claims that larger operators would have secure supply chains could backfire by making Europe too dependent on a small number of suppliers and thus less resilient.
"If strengthening resilience and secure supply chains is considered to require additional regulatory measures, these should be pursued through sectoral or industrial policy instruments rather than through changes to competition legislation," they added.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, editing by Andrei Khalip)
Key Takeaways
- •Five EU countries — Finland, Ireland, Czech Republic, Estonia and Latvia — warn against relaxing EU merger rules.
- •The European Commission is revamping the 2004 merger framework, with proposals for feedback expected in April 2026.
- •The countries argue size should not be the goal; efficiency, innovation and fair competition matter more.
- •They dispute telecom claims that consolidation boosts investment, calling the evidence inconclusive.
- •They caution that larger operators could weaken supply-chain resilience and suggest sectoral or industrial policy instead.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ireland, Finland, others warn against relaxing EU merger rules
1What is the main topic?
Five EU countries caution against loosening EU merger rules. They argue that creating European champions should rely on evidence-based efficiencies, not relaxed scrutiny.
2Why are some EU countries opposing looser merger rules?
They say size alone does not guarantee higher investment or resilience. They prefer competition based on efficiency and innovation rather than exemptions for large mergers.
3When will the EU discuss the proposed changes?
EU ministers are set to discuss the note on February 26, 2026, with European Commission proposals for feedback expected in April 2026.
4What alternatives do they propose to support resilience and investment?
If additional measures are needed, they recommend sectoral or industrial policy tools rather than changing competition legislation.
