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    HomeFinancial/RegulationEU decides today if Orange can ‘avez’ Voo

    EU decides today if Orange can ‘avez’ Voo

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    Approval needed before Orange can bag Belgian cable operator

    French telecoms operator the Orange Group will find out today if it can buy rival operator with a French-speaking customer base in Belgium. Its bid for a majority stake in Belgian rival VOO will be decided by EU antitrust regulators by July 28, the European Commission has said.

    The companies sought EU approval for a proposed purchase of 75% minus 1 share of VOO by Orange, giving the French mobile operator group control over the cable network in Belgium’s French-speaking Wallonia region and part of the Brussels area.

    The EU competition enforcer can clear the deal with or without remedies after its preliminary review or it can open a four-month investigation if it has serious concerns about anti-competitive behaviour.