EU Regulators Close to Granting Google’s Acquisition of Double-Click

March 6th, 2008 by Arnold Zafra | No Comments

Looks like the European Union is set to allow Google’s $3.1 billion acquisition of Double-Click as speculators have predicted. The EU ruling might even come earlier than the April 2 deadline to as early as next week.

Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Intelligence said in a Bloomberg report that “the deal will ultimately go through.” Adding even more sweetness to the deal is the fact that the EU regulators might approve it without any conditions at all. Thereby out ruling Microsoft’s objection that deal if approved will hurt the industry competition.Aside from Microsoft’s objection, the pending approval of EU would also undermine other objections to the deal. Particularly the question on privacy raised by some privacy in both the U.S. and Europe.

Other concerns raised were Google’s possible domination of the online advertising market once it acquires Double-Click. One of Double-Click’s product help advertisers measure and tracking ad campaign performance. This will definitely strengthens Google position in the online advertising industry.

Expect more concerns and protest to escalate next week from Microsoft and other stakeholders in the online advertising industry, should the EU finally grant Google what it wanted so badly.

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