The EU Commission has published a Statement of Objections, outlining the ways in which an Adobe-Figma merger could potentially reduce competition in the global interactive product design software market. Credit: Loek Essers/IDGNS The EU Commission has issued a Statement of Objections regarding Adobe’s proposed $20 billion acquisition of web-based collaborative design company Figma. The Statement of Objections is part of an ongoing investigation the Commission launched after Adobe announced its intention to buy Figma, looking into concerns that if the transaction were to go ahead, it could affect competition in the product-design software market. In its statement, the Commission outlined a number of concerns around the deal, primarily that the acquisition has the potential to not only reduce competition in the market for interactive product-design applications, but also for vector- and raster-editing tools. Figma is the clear market leader for interactive product design tools, and Adobe one of its largest competitors, the Commission said. “The transaction is likely to create a dominant player by combining these market positions,” the Commission said. Highlighting concerns around vector- and raster-editing tools, the Commission said that while Figma currently “exerts a significant constraining influence on Adobe’s vector editing tool,” by acquiring the company, Adobe would be able to eliminate Figma as a potential competitor. Adobe has not yet returned a request for comment. The Commission’s final decision regarding the merger is due to be handed down on February 5. The Commission said it had no further comment to make at this stage, beyond what was published in its press release. “The sending of a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation. Adobe now has the opportunity to reply to the Commission’s Statement of Objections, to consult the Commission’s case file and to request an oral hearing,” the Commission said. It is not known whether Adobe has already attempted to remedy the concerns outlined by the Commission. However, Europe is not the only jurisdiction under which the deal has faced scrutiny. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is also due to conclude its investigation into the merger in February, while multiple news outlets have previously reported that the US Department of Justice is preparing its own antitrust lawsuit to block the deal. Related content feature Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build? Get the latest info on new preview builds of Windows 11 as they roll out to Windows Insiders. Now updated for Build 22635.3566 for the Beta Channel, released on April 26, 2024. By Preston Gralla Apr 26, 2024 251 mins Small and Medium Business Microsoft Windows 11 news Dropbox adds end-to-end encryption for team folders Dropbox this week unveiled a range of features, including security updates and key management, and the ability to co-edit Microsoft 365 documents from within the file-sharing app. By Matthew Finnegan Apr 26, 2024 3 mins Cloud Storage Collaboration Software Productivity Software feature Android versions: A living history from 1.0 to 15 Explore Android's ongoing evolution with this visual timeline of versions, starting B.C. (Before Cupcake) and going all the way to 2024's Android 15 (beta) release. By JR Raphael Apr 26, 2024 23 mins Small and Medium Business Smartphones Android news analysis The unspoken obnoxiousness of Google's Gemini improvements Google's Gemini chatbot is seeing all sorts of upgrades on Android this week, but those advancements reveal a darker underlying reality. By JR Raphael Apr 26, 2024 12 mins Google Assistant Google Android Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe