The Financial Times reported Tuesday that European antitrust regulators might investigate Adobe’s (ADBE.O) $20 billion acquisition of cloud-based designer platform Figma later this year.
According to FT, EU officials plan a lengthy anti-competition investigation that might torpedo the acquisition.
These developments underscore worldwide authorities’ concerns that huge tech firms purchasing smaller inventive rivals could stifle competition.
In separate emailed statements to Reuters, Adobe said it is in the earliest phase of the regulatory process and has positive discussions with British, EU, and U.S. regulators about the merger. Figma looks forward to continuing discussions.
Last month, Britain’s competition agency announced it was investigating the Adobe-Figma agreement. In February, Bloomberg reported that the U.S. Justice Department was drafting an antitrust case to halt it.
Even if the Figma purchase falls below the EU’s turnover requirement for a review, EU regulators have stated Adobe must obtain antitrust approval.