European Union: Opened investigation into VOO/Brutélé merger

On 28 July 2022, the European Commission announced that it is opening an in-depth investigation into the proposed acquisition of VOO and Brutélé by Orange. The inquiry will assess whether the acquisition will reduce competition in the retail markets for fixed internet services, audiovisual services and bundled services, including the connectivity between fixed and wireless telecommunications networks (FMC). Furthermore, the Commission noted that the acquisition would reduce the number of competing companies in Belgium from three to two and could negatively impact the deployment of third-party mobile networks due to the move of VOO's mobile customers to Orange's services. The Commission will issue its final decision by 6 December 2022.