Merger plans by Europe’s leading tour operators are certain to come under tough scrutiny by the European Commission in the wake of Monday’s tie-up between Tui and First Choice, competition lawyers said.

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With Thomas Cook and MyTravel having agreed a link-up last month, the number of large European tour operators would be slashed from four to two by the deals – a market structure that will raise competition concerns. One Brussels-based competition lawyer said: “That level of concentration is obviously going to be looked at very closely.