HC Deb 13 March 1996 vol 273 c670W
Mr. Jenkin

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the proposals by the European Commission to reduce the thresholds according to which mergers are brought under European Commission jurisdiction. [20335]

Mr. John M. Taylor

The Commission has issued a Green Paper outlining various proposals for reform of the EC merger regulation, including possible threshold reductions. Once the United Kingdom and other member states have made their views known it will be for the Commission to decide whether it wishes to proceed with formal proposals to the Council.