(Telecompaper) The European Commission is preparing to publish a statement of objections to the proposed merger of Wind and 3 Italia, the Italian subsidiaries of VimpelCom and Hutchison Whampoa, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg. The statement, to be issued in June, will set out a series of antitrust concerns over the EUR 21.8 billion merger, said the sources.
Although the publication of a statement of objections doesn't mean the transaction will be blocked, the EC is likely to ask both companies to agree to a series of strict conditions designed to protect competition, such as the sale of units or agreements to aid the entry of a new operator. The Commission is scheduled to publish its final decision on 18 August.