BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: European Union regulators on Friday extended the deadline for their review of plans by U.S. software company Oracle to buy computer maker Sun Microsystems for $7 billion.

"Oracle requested the extension in order to have the opportunity to further develop its arguments in response to the (European) Commission's concerns," the EU's executive Commission said in a daily list of planned mergers under review.

The Commission said it had pushed back its deadline to January 27, 2010 from Jan. 19. It gave no further details.

The EU executive in September launched an in-depth investigation into the planned takeover on concerns the deal could dent competition in the database market.