IndustryGoogle-Motorola Merger Seeks European Commission Clearance

Google-Motorola Merger Seeks European Commission Clearance

Google's buyout of Motorola Mobility is already under scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, but the deal will also require clearance in Europe. The European Commission evaluation is scheduled to determine a ruling by January 10.

Google’s buyout of Motorola Mobility is already under scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, but the deal will also require clearance in Europe. The European Commission evaluation is scheduled to determine a ruling by January 10.

The European Commission’s Evaluation

googorola-logoAccording to the newly filed M.6381, the European Commission received notification for the Motorola / Google deal on November 25. The evaluation of the deal will follow the established guidelines of “Council Regulation 139/2004.”

Very little has been released by way of additional details, although the provisional deadline for the council is set for January 10, 2012. While it’s possible that this deadline will be changed, the current documentation indicates that Google will hear back with official clearance – or a denial thereof – on or by January 10.

The Merger Thus Far

The August buyout proposition for Motorola, which offered $12.5 billion, gives Google plenty of advantages – not the least of which is a strong patent portfolio. Motorola also seems to see benefit; earlier this month, Motorola’s shareholders overwhelmingly approved the merger.

However, there are still hurdles left to face. The Google-Motorola deal is currently under review by the U.S. Department of Justice. The DoJ is also evaluating numerous other Google acquisitions and tactics.

It’s likely that the European Commission’s evaluation will cause no additional delays; given the historical timeliness of both parties, the best bet is that the DoJ review won’t be concluded until after the proposed EC deadline.

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