Deciding that the deal would not hamper the competitive electronic market, the European Union has approved Hewlett Packard’s $14 billion merger of Juniper Networks.
On Thursday, the EU Commission announced an unconditional antitrust approval for Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks.
The commission’s review determined that the deal would not notably impact competition for wireless LAN equipment, access points, Ethernet campus switches, or data centre switches market. EU stated that the combined company’s market position would stay moderate, facing ongoing competition from numerous rivals.
Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is also reviewing the deal, and HPE awaits its approval.
The CMA indicated it was evaluating whether the transaction might create a relevant merger situation under the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether it could significantly reduce competition in any UK market for goods or services.
It invited feedback from interested parties and set August 14, 2024, as the deadline to announce whether the merger will be referred for a Phase 2 investigation.
Reports indicated earlier this week that HPE was expected to receive approval for the deal announced this January. The acquisition highlights the industry’s push to innovate and develop new products in response to the surge in AI-driven services in the European market.
According to HPE’s statement, the acquisition will combine HPE’s Aruba Networking portfolio with Juniper’s, forming a strong, customer-focused networking company with an extensive product range.
The merger is expected to be finalised by late 2024 or early 2025. HPE also affirmed its commitment to maintaining current product lines and policies throughout the transition.
Also read: HPE Poised for EU Nod On $14 Billion Juniper Deal
