EU regulators approve SAP's takeover of Business Objects

by Oliver Long

EU antitrust regulators gave the greenlight on Tuesday to German business software giant SAP's takeover of French rival Business Objects.

"The (European) Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition," it said in a statement after reviewing the deal for antitrust threats.

SAP agreed in October to pay 4.8 billion euros (7.1 billion dollars) for Business Objects, which is specialised in making business analytics and intelligence software.

The two companies said at the time that the deal was expected to close in the first quarter of next year, but that Business Objects would operate as a stand-alone business within the SAP group.

The purchase marked a radical change of strategy for SAP, which has opted for organic growth until now, in contrast to US rival Oracle which has spent more than 25 billion dollars on acquisitions since 2004.