By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU antitrust regulators have set a new Feb. 14 deadline to decide whether to clear Korean Air’s proposed acquisition of Asiana Airlines, according to an update on the European Commission website.
The EU competition enforcer temporarily halted its investigation into the deal on June 23 while waiting for the companies to provide requested information.
“There is very good progress with some proposals,” EU antitrust chief Didier Reynders told reporters.
Korean Air, the country’s biggest carrier, last month offered remedies to address EU competition concerns. This included the sale of Asiana’s cargo business. Sources said the package also included the divestment of routes to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Paris and Rome.
The Commission is now expected to seek feedback from customers and rivals before deciding whether to accept the remedies or demand more.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Sandra Maler)
