On Friday 17 November, the European Commission announced that it had sent software company Adobe (USA) its preliminary view that its proposed acquisition of online collaboration tool provider Figma (USA), notified on 30 June, was likely to restrict competition on the global markets for the supply of interactive product design software and other artistic design software.
The Commission opened an in-depth investigation on 7 August (see EUROPE 13234/18), in cooperation with other competition authorities.
The Commission came to the preliminary conclusion that the merger was likely to restrict competition ‘considerably’ in the global markets for the supply of interactive product design tools, in which Figma is the market leader and Adobe one of its main competitors. The deal could therefore constitute a ‘reverse killer acquisition’, as it could lead to the removal of Adobe XD, Adobe’s interactive product design tool, and any successor products.
In addition, the Commission considers that the merger was likely to restrict competition considerably on the market for the supply of vector image editing tools and on the market for the supply of raster image editing tools.
Adobe retains the opportunity to respond to the objections communicated by the Commission, to consult the register and to ask to have its arguments heard at a hearing. The Commission will adopt a decision by 5 February 2024.
Link to the case in the Commission’s register: https://aeur.eu/f/9mx (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)