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EU: Microsoft-LinkedIn buyout ‘likely to gain approval’

 |  November 24, 2016

Microsoft’s £21 billion purchase of social network site LinkedIn is likely to gain EU approval, following reported agreement with the European Commission over a number of concessions this week.

Antitrust regulators initially raised concerns that the buyout would give Microsoft an unfair advantage in the market, suffocating rival services.

But Microsoft recently said it would allow LinkedIn rivals to access its Outlook add-ins program, according to Reuters, and, subsequently, that it would allow desktop manufacturers such as Dell and HP to disable LinkedIn and install other social services if they wished.

The latest concessions came after the EU sought feedback from a number of customers and rival companies, according to sources close to the deal, speaking to Reuters.

Full Content: Reuters

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