The European Union's competition body has cleared the €17.2 billion takeover of Britain's Virgin Media by US cable TV operator Liberty Global.
The European Commission, which acts as the 27-nation bloc's competition watchdog, said the acquisition will make Liberty Global the largest cable operator in Europe and form the second-largest pay TV provider in Britain.
But it concluded the deal does not raise competition concerns because the companies operate cable networks in different EU states and because of the merged entity's limited overall market position in the wholesale of TV programmes and channels.
Entertainment company Virgin Media operates a cable network in Britain but also provides pay TV, broadband internet and phone services.
Liberty Global already operates cable networks in 10 European Union states, including UPC in Ireland.
