Despite reports in the Austrian media claiming the European Commission is ready to clear the takeover of Orange Austria by Hutchison next week, the Austrian antitrust regulator BWB is still opposing the transaction.
A spokesperson for the BWB dismissed…
Despite reports in the Austrian media claiming the European Commission is ready to clear the takeover of Orange Austria by Hutchison next week, the Austrian antitrust regulator BWB is still opposing the transaction.
A spokesperson for the BWB dismissed yesterday’s article in an Austrian publication that the EC would approve the merger next Tuesday, 27 November, as “false”.
He confirmed that the transaction would be discussed at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday next week, but said no clearance decision would be taken at this stage.
He also said that the merger should not be approved in its current form.
The EC refused to comment but reiterated that the deadline for the review is 21 December.
It is understood that Hutchison does not expect a decision to be announced before mid December.
Meanwhile, an EC spokesperson confirmed that the next meeting of the college of EU commissioners is set to take place on 28 November only.
Merger decisions require approval by the college of the commissioners of all 27 member states, which meets weekly on Wednesdays.
Even if a positive decision to approve the deal was made at the meeting on Tuesday, it is unlikely that the college would already have the necessary documentation to confirm the clearance at its meeting the following day.
The BWB spokesperson would only confirm that the EC would make the decision “before Christmas”.
Austrian media reported yesterday that the EC was set to clear the transaction subject to substantial remedies including the divestment of three frequencies licences.
