The Dutch market regulator said on Thursday it needed more powers to investigate deals at its own level, a day after the European Union antitrust regulators said they would not take action against Microsoft's hiring of artificial intelligence startup Inflection's staff.

Concerns over the elimination of a future competitor through acquihiring The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has declared it needs fresh powers after the European Commission elected not to investigate Microsoft's acquihire of AI startup Inflection.

The Dutch market regulator ACM wants more power to investigate acquisitions independently. This was after the EU's decision not to take action against

EU antitrust regulators will not take action against Microsoft's hiring of artificial intelligence startup Inflection's staff including its co-founders after seven EU countries dropped their requests asking their bigger peer to examine the deal,

The Dutch competition watchdog is seeking beefed-up powers to probe more small deals that risk crushing competition in fledgling tech markets after the European Union’s attempts to vet them was shot down by the bloc’s top court.