The current COVID-19 pandemic is posing unprecedented challenges on our public health systems and communities. It is also heavily impacting economic activity, including for companies in the midst of M&A or joint venture transactions. Deals that are subject to merger control review in the European Union (EU) are likely to find that the process is disrupted, with a reduced prospect of early clearance even in "no issues" cases under review. More complex cases may be delayed significantly. But what is clear is that EU merger control enforcement is not in quarantine. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to unfold, here is what companies involved in deals need to be aware of during these times of crisis.