EU Clears Telia-Sonera Merger

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, July 11 -- The European Commission approved the merger between Swedish and Finnish telecommunications companies Telia and Sonera, which have agreed to the following conditions:

Telia has committed to sell its mobile operations, dealership chain and wireless LAN business in Finland. The combined company has agreed to provide to the purchaser of its mobile operations in Finland national roaming on commercial terms and at a fair price if the purchaser does not already have a nationwide GSM network in Finland.

Telia has committed to sell its comhem AB cable business and related network in Sweden.

The combined company has agreed that its fixed and mobile network businesses in Sweden and Finland will be held in separate legal entities, distinct from related retail activities.

The network companies' boards of directors will include an external director appointed according to corporate law. This commitment can be revised after five years.

The combined company has agreed to make available to telecommunications operators in Sweden and Finland its regulated wholesale fixed and mobile network products and international GSM roaming in Sweden and Finland on a nondiscriminatory basis, compared to the terms on which they are offered internally within the combined company, for three years. Telia-Sonera will have the right to require reciprocity in respect of prices, quality and other conditions.