GDPR Burdens Hinder M&A Transactions
An increasing number of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions may be stalling because of concerns over EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance, according to a survey of EMEA M&A professionals conducted by Merrill Corporation.
The implementation of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) stood out as a major hurdle for mergers and acquisitions, with more than half of respondents (55 percent) citing the compliance and data protection employed by the target company as a primary reason a transaction did not progress. Additionally, 66 percent of those surveyed believe that GDPR will increase acquirers’ scrutiny of the data protection policies and processes of target companies, further complicating the deal-making process.
