Austrian regulators have yet to approve Chinese e-commerce group JD.com’s proposed acquisition of German electronics retailer Ceconomy, leaving a key approval outstanding and putting the wider transaction at risk.
Ceconomy said the foreign direct investment (FDI) approval process in Austria remains pending, even as the deal has secured clearances in several other jurisdictions.
In a statement, Ceconomy said: “With respect to the FDI clearance in Austria, it is currently uncertain whether and, if so, when such clearance will be granted.”
The company confirmed that all necessary merger control approvals have been obtained, alongside FDI clearances in France and Italy. It added that approvals in Germany and Spain are expected to follow.
The investment agreement between Ceconomy and JD.com was signed on 30 July 2025 as part of plans for a potential public takeover.
JD.com later released the offer document in September 2025, detailing a voluntary bid for all bearer ordinary shares in Ceconomy under the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act.
However, clearance from Austria’s investment control authority, which operates under the Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, is still outstanding.
According to the retailer, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy has expressed concerns regarding the approvability of the transaction and refused to engage in a joint solution-finding process.
The company added that the authority has raised objections to the deal and has not entered discussions aimed at addressing these concerns.
It noted that JD.com had previously committed to safeguards relating to locations, employment, data protection and management independence at the time of the deal’s announcement.
Additional remedies have since been proposed in an attempt to resolve regulatory issues.
Ceconomy CEO Kai-Ulrich Deissner said: “There seems to be a misunderstanding about what constitutes the business model of a retail company: We bring products to market already today, but we do not manufacture them.
“With the partnership, Ceconomy wins a global player with unparalleled retail expertise as well as cutting-edge technology and logistics capabilities.”
Both companies said they continue to engage with Austrian officials in efforts to obtain the remaining approval and finalise the transaction.
“Austria delays JD.com takeover clearance for Ceconomy” was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
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