Brussels unsure on raft of mergers

The European Commission has rarely had to face regulating such a rapid series of mergers and takeovers in such a sensitive sector: Suez and Gaz de France are planning a tie-up, Eon and Gas Natural are vying for Endesa, and now Iberdrola and Union Fenosa may follow suit. Already, Eon has swallowed Ruhrgas, among other assets, while EdF and RWE can also look back on a string of acquisitions. The Commission approves of pan-European energy consolidation in the energy utilties sector, but is not happy that so many of the current deals are producing a dominant company in a national energy market.