EC: green lights merger Wind-3 Italy

The European Commission says "yes" to the merger between Wind, Italian subsidiary of the Russian group Vimpelcom, and 3Italia, which belongs to the group of Hong Kong Hutchison.

The approval, it said in a Brussels statement, shall be subject to sale of assets sufficiently to allow the entry of a new operator market. The agreement, in fact, opens the Italian market to the new French mobile operator Iliad. The parties (Three and Wind), have proposed to the committee a number of corrective measures that have finally brought the European antitrust give its approval: the sale to the new operator of a quantity of the mobile spectrum currently managed by the joint venture, sharing thousands of sites for the installation of mobile base stations (antennas) and a transient agreement that will allow Iliad to use the network of the joint venture until it has successfully opened its own.

"The mobile services have become a daily necessity. Today's decision means that in Italy the sector to remain competitive, so that consumers can continue to enjoy innovative mobile services at fair prices and quality of networks," said EU Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager. "This case shows that in Europe the telecommunications company can grow not only consolidated within the same country, subject to effective competition, but also expanding across borders, as Iliad in this case".

Yesterday Iliad / Free, the French company that is owned by Xavier Niel, had provided statements that marked a new semester of growth, and that allowed it to overcome the rival Sfr by number of subscribers in the fixed. The Niel company prepares to land with great ambitions in Italy, described as "a very attractive market."