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| EU probe 'costing Sun millions' | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Oracle boss Larry Ellison says his firm's takeover target is losing $100m (£61m) every month as it waits for the verdict of an EU probe into the deal. | |
| The business software firm has proposed a $7.4bn takeover of computer hardware and software maker Sun Microsystems. | The business software firm has proposed a $7.4bn takeover of computer hardware and software maker Sun Microsystems. |
| In August, the US Justice Department gave its approval to the deal, agreed between the two firms in April. | In August, the US Justice Department gave its approval to the deal, agreed between the two firms in April. |
| "The longer this takes, the more money Sun is going to lose," Mr Ellison told an audience in Silicon Valley. | "The longer this takes, the more money Sun is going to lose," Mr Ellison told an audience in Silicon Valley. |
| However, he thinks the EU will eventually approve the deal. | However, he thinks the EU will eventually approve the deal. |
| Database concerns | Database concerns |
| "The US took their time and deliberations and cleared it," Mr Ellison said. "The Europeans have to do their job, but I think once they do their job, they'll come to the same conclusion." | "The US took their time and deliberations and cleared it," Mr Ellison said. "The Europeans have to do their job, but I think once they do their job, they'll come to the same conclusion." |
| The EU is concerned that the deal, if approved, could breach competition rules, leading to higher prices and less choice for customers. | The EU is concerned that the deal, if approved, could breach competition rules, leading to higher prices and less choice for customers. |
| It is concerned mainly about Oracle having control over Sun's MySQL database business. | It is concerned mainly about Oracle having control over Sun's MySQL database business. |
| EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes has said the EU is obliged to investigate "when the world's biggest proprietary database company proposes to take over the world's leading open-source database company". | EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes has said the EU is obliged to investigate "when the world's biggest proprietary database company proposes to take over the world's leading open-source database company". |
| But Mr Ellison said that Oracle and MySQL did not compete against each other, and said he would not sell off MySQL to get the deal approved. | But Mr Ellison said that Oracle and MySQL did not compete against each other, and said he would not sell off MySQL to get the deal approved. |
| The EU has said it will make its final decision by 19 January. | The EU has said it will make its final decision by 19 January. |
| Oracle is looking to strengthen its position against rival IBM, which abandoned its own attempts to buy Sun earlier this year. | Oracle is looking to strengthen its position against rival IBM, which abandoned its own attempts to buy Sun earlier this year. |