Last December, the European Commission published a Green Paper that contains proposals to reform the EU's rules on mergers. Reactions and comments on these proposals by interested parties are due in Brussels by March 31
st
. Afterwards, the Commission will draft new merger control rules to replace the current ones which date back to 1990. Since the new rules on controlling mergers will come in the form of a regulation, not a directive, they will take effect immediately, most likely before this summer, and will not need to be ratified by national parliaments.
Last December, the European Commission published a Green Paper that contains proposals to reform the EU's rules on mergers. Reactions and comments on these proposals by interested parties are due in Brussels by March 31 st . Afterwards, the Commission will draft new merger control rules to replace the current ones which date back to 1990. Since the new rules on controlling mergers will come in the form of a regulation, not a directive, they will take effect immediately, most likely before this summer, and will not need to be ratified by national parliaments.