Linde, Praxair Will Face EU Objections as Soon as Next Week

Linde AG and Praxair Inc. are poised to get a so-called statement of objections listing potential reasons for the European Union’s antitrust regulator to block their proposed $46 billion merger, according to three people familiar with the EU review. Companies can argue with the European Commission, the EU’s regulatory arm, in writing and at a closed-door hearing and seek to allay potential problems with concessions. Linde and Praxair set hard limits on divestments when they first hashed out their merger plan, capping what they would sell and fixing an October deadline to get antitrust approvals.