Brussels, September 16, 2025 –The European Commission (EC) will accelerate publication of updated merger guidelines and press ahead with a wider overhaul of competition policy, President Ursula von der Leyen announced.
Speaking at an event marking one year since the publication of the Draghi report, von der Leyen underscored that reducing bureaucratic costs and cutting red tape were among the top priorities. “Our proposals will cut EUR 8 billion a year of bureaucratic costs for European companies,” the President said.
Citing an example of work undertaken in reforming competition policy, von der Leyen emphasised, “We have discussed an overhaul for a while. The direction of travel is clear. That is why we will advance the publication of the merger guidelines. It is time to deliver.”
In May, the EC launched a public consultation to gather feedback on a sweeping review of its EU Merger Guidelines, aiming to modernise the regulatory framework that governs how corporate mergers are assessed for their impact on competition.
The updated guidelines will take into account factors such as innovation, efficiency, investment intensity, sustainability, and strategic dependencies. The reforms also aim to incorporate broader economic trends, including digital transformation and evolving defence priorities.
In parallel with the consultation, the EC also announced an economic study on the dynamic effects of mergers.
Besides the competition policy, the EC President mentioned the proposed €400bn+ Competitiveness Fund that would turbo-charge research, digital, and clean-tech deployment.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_25_2102
