29/04/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 29 April, the European Commissioner for Competition, Teresa Ribera, announced that the Commission would be submitting for consultation, this Thursday, long-awaited guidelines aimed at renewing, and adapting to current circumstances, the interpretation of Regulation 139/2004 governing mergers in the European Union. “We don’t change the regulation, but we evolve in the way we read it. These are probably the most forward-looking guidelines”, she commented. Citing a “passionate” debate within the Commission, Ms Ribera identified two issues that needed to be reconciled: preserving the single market and stimulating innovation. To strengthen the competitiveness of European businesses, “competition policy is part of the answer”, as are measures to integrate markets, she added. (MB)