It looks like Adobe’s acquisition of Figma will be a long ordeal for Adobe in Europe.

According to four people familiar with the subject, the European antitrust authorities intend to launch a formal investigation into the takeover later this year. According to the Financial Times, the main motivation for the research is less innovation and higher prices after the acquisition.

The EU is not the only party looking to consider the takeover. An investigation was launched in the UK last month and the US is also considering blocking the takeover. Striking: Although the European sales figures are too low to initiate an investigation, the European Commission is planning one anyway.

In contrast to a standard investigation called “Phase 1”, which lasts several months on average, the EU suddenly wants to move on to “Phase 2”. This stage means a much longer and more thorough investigation that puts a takeover at risk.

According to Europa, Adobe is acquiring a reliable competitor. It’s also putting $20 billion on the table for it, more than 50 times Figma’s annual revenue. The amount is also twice what it was valued at in a private funding round in 2021 and 10 times what it was valued at in a previous round in 2019.

Adobe said earlier this year that it expects “lengthy investigations” as tech deals are scrutinized around the world. The company argues that both organizations operate in a separate market. According to internal research, barely 10 percent of Photoshop users use Figma.

Adobe may provide more evidence before launching an investigation in the coming months. Let’s see how the EU reacts to this. In any case, Adobe still has a lot to do, because even with approval from Europe, it still has to convince the USA and Great Britain. Adobe won’t be able to complete the acquisition of Figma quickly, that’s already certain.