| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: DG Communication |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Press Release |
| Series Details | IP/16/4473 (20.12.16) |
| Publication Date | 20/12/2016 |
| Content Type | News |
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On the 20 December 2016, the European Commission sent a Statement of Objections to Facebook alleging the company provided incorrect or misleading information during the Commission's 2014 investigation under the EU Merger Regulation of Facebook's planned acquisition of WhatsApp. A company's obligation to provide correct and non-misleading information in a merger investigation is essential for the Commission to review mergers and takeovers effectively. As the Commission's October 2014 decision to clear Facebook/WhatsApp was based on a variety of factors going beyond the possibility of matching user accounts, the current investigation would not have an impact on that decision which remained effective. The case is also completely separate to other European cases against Facebook. Facebook now has now until 31 January 2017 to respond to the Statement of Objections. If the Commission's preliminary concerns in this case were confirmed, the Commission could, impose a fine of up to 1% of Facebook's turnover. |
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| Source Link | http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-4473_en.htm |
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| Subject Categories | Business and Industry, Internal Markets |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
