Vodafone CEO urges EU to adopt UK's merger approach

Vodafone's leadership is urging the European Union to adopt a more progressive approach to telecom mergers, drawing lessons from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which recently approved Vodafone's £16.5 billion merger with Three UK. CEO Margherita Della Valle emphasized that the EU's assessment timeline should be extended beyond the current 18-month to three-year scope, advocating for a broader perspective that considers long-term benefits of telecom investments. She highlighted the importance of recognizing the competitive role of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in market dynamics. Vodafone's EU affairs chief, Darren Ennis, criticized the EU's current defensive stance, arguing it hinders digitalization and economic growth. The merger is expected to create the UK's largest mobile operator, serving 29 million customers, and includes commitments for significant investments in a unified 5G network. Della Valle's comments reflect a growing call for the EU to modernize its merger guidelines to better facilitate industry consolidation and investment.