EU antitrust regulators to probe Siemens, Alstom rail merger

EU antitrust regulators opened an in-depth investigation on Friday into a plan by Siemens and Alstom to merge their rail businesses, saying that the deal could reduce competition for trains and signalling systems.

The deal, which would create a Franco-German rail champion competing with bigger rival CRRC and Canada`s Bombardier Transportation, could lead to higher prices and ultimately harm consumers, the European Commission said.

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It set a Nov. 21 deadline to decide whether to clear the deal. The companies can offer concessions to address regulatory concerns.