EU yet to restart Oracle/PeopleSoft probe

BRUSSELS: The European Commission said it was not yet ready to restart its suspended investigation into U.S. software maker Oracle's takeover of smaller rival PeopleSoft Inc. despite a U.S. federal judge's clearance of the deal.

EU regulators stopped the clock on their probe in April to request further information from the companies. Spokeswoman Amelia Torres said: "To my knowledge we are not yet in a position to restart the deadline."

She said the EU executive would post the date on its Web site when it was ready to resume the probe.

Oracle had got the green light from a U.S. federal judge for its $7.7 billion takeover of PeopleSoft, sending PeopleSoft shares up 15 percent. The EU has overruled a U.S. merger approved by U.S. authorities before, but such cases are extremely rare.