The European Commission has announced the opening of an in-depth antitrust investigation into the planned acquisition of Porta by furniture retailer XXXLutz. The decision was made under the European Union's merger control regulation, which involves assessing the potential impact of such deals on market competition. According to a press release published in Brussels, the Commission intends to conduct a detailed examination of the possible consequences of the merger between the two companies for consumers and other participants in the furniture retail market. An in-depth investigation is typically initiated in cases where preliminary analysis reveals grounds to believe that the deal could significantly restrict competition in one or more segments of the overall EU market. XXXLutz is a major Austrian company specializing in the retail sale of furniture and home goods, with widespread presence in several European countries. Porta, in turn, is also a well-known player in the furniture market. The details of the deal's terms and its financial parameters were not disclosed at the time of the press release's publication. Following the investigation, the European Commission may approve the deal without conditions, approve it with certain commitments from the companies aimed at eliminating anti-competitive risks, or block the deal entirely if it concludes that it would significantly restrict effective competition in the EU's internal market. The timeline for completing the in-depth investigation is typically set by the regulation and may take several months.