Documents from the European Commission show that Nvidia filed an application with the European Union on Wednesday, hoping that the other party would approve the ARM acquisition. ARM is a British chip company, and Nvidia has offered $54 billion for the acquisition, only waiting for regulatory approval. Regarding this acquisition, British regulators have expressed concern last month, and the European Union may have similar ideas.
The European Commission set October 13 as the deadline for approval. Nvidia’s application for approval of the transaction will initiate a 25-day preliminary assessment. If Nvidia refuses to make concessions, it may trigger a 90-day investigation.
Can ARM remain neutral after being acquired by Nvidia? This is a question worth thinking about. ARM customers Broadcom, MediaTek, and Marvell support the acquisition, while Qualcomm, Samsung, and Apple are worried. Nvidia said in a statement: We are working hard to complete the regulatory process and hope to work closely with the European Commission to resolve possible concerns. The transaction is beneficial to ARM, licensing, competition and the industry.
Nvidia has promised to all parties that ARM will become a neutral technology supplier. After completing the preliminary assessment, the European Commission can approve the transaction; if the problem is more serious, it will initiate an investigation. British regulators warned that the transaction may harm competition and harm competitors, and therefore requested an extension of the investigation.
