The number and variety of mergers with a Community dimension, but above all the substantial increase in cross-border mergers (up 36 % on 1996)concerning European companies from more than one Member State, reflect an increased momentumtowards economic integration within the European Union this year.
Det store antal meget forskelligartede fusioner med fællesskabsdimension og ikke mindst den kraftige stigning i antallet af grænseoverskridende fusioner (36 % flere end i 1996) mellem virksomheder fra forskellige medlemsstater vidner om, at den økonomiske integration inden for Den Europæiske Union har taget yderligere fart i 1997.