The European Union is reviewing its merger control guidelines in what could become the region’s biggest regulatory change. The draft reform aims to help companies grow large enough to compete globally, especially against major rivals from the United States and China.
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According to draft guidelines cited by the Financial Times, the European Commission will focus more on innovation, investment and internal market flexibility when evaluating proposed mergers. It represents a shift from the current approach, which focuses primarily on how a deal will affect consumers and prices.
In fact, the pace of consolidation among CFD players in the region is accelerating. Recently, GBE Brokers has agreed to acquire JFD Group’s EU CFD client registry and associated funds, in an eight-figure asset deal.
Accelerates the process of unification of foreign currencies and CFDs
Going back to last year, merger between Support company FuzeTraders and Kubera Markets It shows a different path to expansion: pulling the supporting trading group into the orbit of the CFD broker. Announced around May 2025 and then built over the course of the year, the deal has created a hybrid structure where the fund trader-style support business and CFD brokerage live under one more recognizable overarching brand.
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In addition, Interactive Brokers has quietly moved its EU and CEE clients to its Irish entity, turning Ireland into a single booking hub for the EU’s broader FX/CFD and multi-asset offering.
The groundwork for this merger was laid in late 2023, when Interactive Brokers It announced that it would merge its Hungarian company IBCE into its Irish unit IBIE and concentrate its EU operations there. The legal merger, completed in 2024, brought Stocksand options, futures, bonds, FX and CFDs for EU clients under one Irish-licensed broker, simplifying the group’s structure while maintaining its broad multi-asset reach.
Read more: Interactive Brokers centralizes European operations in Ireland amid expansion
An EU official commented to the Financial Times that the new rules represent an ambitious approach that reflects the realities of increasingly challenging global competition. The Guidelines reflect the priorities of the Commission’s current mandate, greater scope and ambition in building globally competitive companies.
Balancing competitiveness and consumer interests
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged regulators to support companies trying to expand internationally. The draft notes that the growth and expansion of companies can be pro-competitive, suggesting that consolidation may strengthen supply chains and secure vital inputs to production.
Even with these concerns, the Guidelines emphasize that protecting effective competition remains the primary goal. The reforms call for a broader understanding of what makes markets competitive, especially in sectors where innovation and scale are critical to success.
The draft text has not yet been finalized, and further discussions are expected before its formal adoption. If approved, these changes would signal a major policy shift in how Brussels views business consolidation within Europe.
This article was written by Jared Kirroy at www.financemagnates.com.
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