Acquisitions and mergers in the public sector reached their highest level for a decade in 2017, according to the official registry agency.

The Sociaal-Economische Raad (SER) said companies and organisations in the public sector logged 588 mergers and acquisitions, 12.5% more than the previous year, the Finanancieele Dagblad reported.

Executives are required to register M&A activities with the SER and the unions as soon as feasible. The SER comprises union members, employers’ organisations and independent academics known as Crown members. The unions exercise considerable influence on behalf of their members.

The SER said the number of public sector mergers in the Netherlands has increased every year since 2012. As in 2016, most were in the services and industries sector last year.

In 2016 the first public sector mergers were registered after merger regulations were extended to cover the government, care and education sectors in October 2015.