European Mergers and Merger Policy

This collection examines the issues and likely consequences for industrial policy and business strategies in growing international trade, accelerated by the Single Market. There has been a sharp increase in mergers across national borders between European-based firms.

Europe stands at the start of its first great merger wave. Growing international trade, accelerated by the `Single Market'' programme, has seen a sharp increase in mergers across national borders between European-based firms. During the 1990s, this increase in European mergers will almost certainly continue. This book brings together a number of leading economists and authoritative commentators on mergers and merger policy to address a series of questions arising from this situation. The book itself is a `European'' edition of Mergers and Merger Policy edited by James A. Fairburn and John Kay (OUP, 1989). Two chapters (on market structure and performance; and on the evolution of merger policy in Britain) from that book are included here without alteration. New material There are entirely new chapters on the European dimension of merger activity, regulation and the European community, and on the options open to European companies. The other chapters have been updated to take account of recent developments. Contributors: Matthew Bishop, John Kay, Alan Hughes, Mike Wright, Julian Franks, Colin Mayer, Evan Davis, James Fairburn, Paul Geroski, Leslie Hannah, Tassos Vlassopolous, David Thompson, Brian Chiplin, Steve Thompson, Graham Shore