To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog: The European Commission ("EC") is shifting its approach with respect to the referral mechanism under Article 22 of the EU Merger Regulation 139/2004 (the "EUMR") and now – at least in certain circumstances – encourages referrals from Member States even where the national filing thresholds are not met. This begs the question of whether the merging parties can stop the referral by appealing the national referral decisions. Just weeks after the EC introduced its new policy, we have an initial answer: the French Council of State and a court in The Hague have rejected applications to suspend or annul such a request for referral.