European Union: Issued EU Commission conditional approval for Orange and MasMovil joint venture

On 20 February 2024, the European Commission approved the proposed creation of a joint venture by Orange and MasMovil under the EU Merger Regulation. The approval is conditional upon full compliance with a commitment package offered by Orange and MasMovil. The Commission's in-depth investigation raised concerns that the transaction would restrict competition in the retail markets for the supply of mobile and fixed internet services in Spain. To address these concerns, Orange and MasMovil committed to divesting the spectrum held by MasMovil to Digi across three frequency spectrum bands and entering an optional national roaming agreement. The decision is conditional upon full compliance with these commitments.