Microsoft - Nuance Deal Gets EU Approval

Microsoft's $16 billion bid for Nuance was approved by the European Commission. It is the second biggest approval for Microsoft by the EC after LinkedIn purchase in 2016.

The EC said its investigation into the deal found it will not significantly reduce competition in markets for transcription software, cloud services, enterprise communication services, PC operating systems, and other products. "The proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns on any of the markets examined in the European Economic Area," the EC said.

The Commission added it examined issues including the overlap between Microsoft and Nuance's transcription software activities and found that they offered "very different products" that, when combined, would continue to face strong competition from other players. The deal already got regulatory approval in the United States and Australia.