Europe sticks a monopoly probe into Adobe-Figma merger

The European Commission has launched an "in-depth" investigation into Adobe's $20 cardinal woody to get Figma, citing concerns that nan projected takeover could harm title successful nan creation package industry.

Adobe has struggled to get nan woody past regulators since nan biz gobble was announced successful September. In February sixteen personnel states successful nan European Union requested officials analyse nan imaginable effect of nan proposal. There are besides probes being carried retired by nan US Department of Justice, and nan UK's Competition and Markets Authority.

"Adobe and Figma are 2 starring providers of package for nan imaginative organization successful nan integer sphere," said Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president starring nan commission's title policy, successful a statement. 

"Many users and businesses trust connected their integer creation devices to excel successful their work. With our in-depth investigation we purpose to guarantee that users proceed to person entree to a wide excavation of integer imaginative devices among which to choose."

Regulators are concerned that allowing nan apical 2 imaginative creation package makers to merge could lead to an anticompetitive situation, harming EU citizens. Adobe could bundle Figma's devices into its Creative Cloud suite, which already includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and more, making it much difficult for rivals to compete, nan Commission suggested.

• Adobe reckons it'll complete $20B Figma mega woody by year-end
• Uncle Sam to artifact Adobe absorption of Figma complete monopoly fears
• Adobe's $20b bargain of Figma successful crosshairs of Europe's antitrust cops
• Adobe's $20B Figma woody deed by in-depth probe successful nan UK

Figma, however, disagrees. "We judge Figma and Adobe tin present acold much worth for designers, creators and knowledge workers together than either institution could present connected its own," a spokesperson told The Register successful a statement.

"We do not judge our projected operation will consequence successful immoderate simplification of title successful our respective markets, and we look guardant to continued conversations pinch nan EC focused connected nan benefits a mixed Adobe-Figma entity will bring."

Meanwhile, Adobe said it will proceed trying to person regulators to o.k. nan acquisition. 

"We stay assured successful nan merits of nan lawsuit arsenic Figma's merchandise creation is an adjacency to Adobe's halfway imaginative products and Adobe has nary meaningful plans to compete successful nan merchandise creation space," a rep for nan Photoshop elephantine told The Register.

"We look guardant to establishing these facts successful nan adjacent shape of nan process and successfully completing nan transaction." ®