Orange Gets EC Approval to Buyout Partner in MasOrange

The European Commission gave the green light for Orange to buy out its joint venture partner in Spanish operator MasOrange. The EC said that there were no competition concerns raised by the move.

After assessing the proposed €4.3 billion deal using its simplified merger review procedure, which is used for cases deemed unlikely to be problematic, the regulator concluded the change in ownership would have a limited impact on the market structure in Spain. Orange signed a binding agreement with JV partner Lorca in December 2025 and subsequently filed the case with the EC in March.

Upon inking the buyout agreement, Orange positioned it as demonstrating a long-term commitment to the market. MasOrange was formed from the merger of Orange Spain and Lorca-owned Masmovil in 2024. Lorca is owned by a group of investors, including KKR, Cinven, and Providence Equity Partners.

Clearance of the Orange deal was announced alongside the nod for Telecom Italia’s sale of Sparkle and a raft of other notices in the regulator’s daily briefing. Within that spate of notifications, the EC announced it would bolster its competition department with the appointment of long-term employee Anthony Whelan as director-general for competition, effective at a date still to be confirmed.

The EC noted that with over 30 years of professional experience, Whelan brings extensive expertise in competition and internal market policy, underpinned by a strong strategic coordination and interinstitutional engagement. He will work alongside competition commissioner ‪Teresa Ribera.