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.