歐盟以強烈擔心爲由否決李嘉誠收購O2

Brussels has shut the door on the second European telecoms merger in a year in a landmark ruling that will put at risk tens of billions of euros of similar deals in Europe.

布魯塞爾在一年內第二次叫停歐洲的電信合併交易,這一具有里程碑意義的裁決將危及歐洲數百億歐元同類交易.

CK Hutchison!s ￡10.5bn attempt to buy O2, Telefónica!s British mobile operator, was blocked yesterday by Margrethe Vestager, the competition commissioner, who cited “strong concerns! that it would have led to less choice and higher prices for UK consumers.

昨日,歐盟競爭事務專員瑪格麗特•維斯特格(Margrethe Vestager)阻止了長江和記實業(CK Hutchison Holdings)以105億歐元收購西班牙電信(Telefónica)旗下的英國移動運營商O2的企圖,稱她!強烈擔心!這會讓英國消費者面臨更少選擇和更高價格.

The decision is the first time Brussels has formally ruled against a telecoms in a major European market, although it comes just months after it forced a similar in Denmark deal to collapse.

該決定是布魯塞爾首次正式否決歐洲主要市場的一筆電信業交易,雖然就在幾個月前它迫使丹麥的一筆類似交易不了了之.

Hutchison wanted to merge O2 with Three to create the UK!s largest mobile operator.

此前長江和記希望合併O2與Three,打造英國最大的移動運營商.

However, after almost a year of lobbying it failed to convince the antitrust authority that the deal would benefit consumers.

然而經過近一年的遊說後,它還是沒能說服反壟斷機構相信,這筆交易會造福於消費者.

Ms Vestager said: “Allowing Hutchison to take over O2 at the terms they proposed would have been bad for UK consumers and bad for the UK mobile sector. The remedies offered by Hutchison were not sufficient to prevent this.

維斯特格表示; 允許長江和記按照他們提議的條款收購O2,將對英國消費者以及英國移動行業造成不利.長江和記提供的補救措施不足以防止這一點.

The company said: “We are deeply disappointed by the commission!s decision to prohibit the merger between Three

該公司表示; 我們對歐盟委員會禁止O2與Three合併的決定深感失望.我們將詳細研究歐盟委員會的決定,並將考慮我們的選擇,包括髮起法律挑戰的可能性.

UK and O2 UK. We will study the commission!s decision in detail and will be considering our options, including the possibility of a legal challenge.!

這一裁決意味着維斯特格個人的勝利,她接手了一系列令人矚目的交易,在此過程中與全球最大的幾家公司關係緊張.這是她首次正式否決一筆重大併購.

The ruling represents a personal victory for Ms Vestager, who has taken on a series of high-profile cases that put her at odds with some of the world!s largest companies. It is the first time she has shot down a prominent merger in any sector.

該決定也是英國競爭與行業監管機構的勝利,他們曾直言反對這筆交易.

The decision is also a victory for the British competition and industry regulators, which have been vocal in their opposition to the deal.

西班牙電信此前希望出售O2以降低高債務水平,並幫助支付年度股息.該公司將爲O2另尋買家.