Press Release: Mergers: Commission opens in-depth investigation into the creation of a mobile commerce joint venture by UK mobile operators Telefónica, Vodafone and Everything Everywhere

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation under the EU Merger Regulation into the proposed creation of a joint venture in the UK between Vodafone, Telefónica and Everything Everywhere in the field of mobile commerce.

The Commission’s preliminary investigation indicated potential competition concerns in the nascent markets of mobile payment applications supply (so-called "mobile wallets"), mobile advertising and related data analytics services, where the joint venture may have very high market shares.

The opening of an in-depth inquiry does not prejudge the final result of the investigation. The Commission now has 90 working days, until 27 August 2012, to take a final decision on whether the proposed transaction would reduce effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA).