EU Court Upholds Vodafone's Liberty Global Acquisition

The EU General Court has dismissed a case by Deutsche Telekom against Vodafone's acquisition of Liberty Global assets. Vodafone's $22 billion purchase involves cable networks in Germany and Eastern Europe. The European Commission ruled the merger wouldn't harm competition, despite rivals' objections.

In a recent ruling by the EU General Court, Deutsche Telekom's challenge against Vodafone's acquisition of Liberty Global assets was dismissed, affirming a prior court's decision that approves the merger.

Vodafone, a significant player in the global telecommunications landscape, agreed back in 2018 to a $22 billion deal to acquire Liberty Global's cable networks across Germany and several eastern European markets. This strategic move seeks to rival traditional telecommunication giants like Deutsche Telekom.

Despite concerns expressed by competitors that the merger would negatively impact market competition in Germany and the Czech Republic, the European Commission determined that both Vodafone and Liberty Global were not direct competitors, ensuring that market dynamics remained unaffected by the acquisition.

(With inputs from agencies.)