[EU Plans to Expedite Approval of European Satellite Giant Merger to Compete with SpaceX] Golden Finance reported on October 16 that, according to insiders, the EU is preparing to accelerate antitrust approval for the European satellite joint venture Project Bromo. The project, jointly promoted by Airbus, Italy's Leonardo, and France's Thales, aims to create a European satellite industry giant and reduce reliance on U.S. satellite service providers like SpaceX (SPCX.O). Insiders revealed that the European Commission has been in continuous discussions with the three companies over the past year to identify and address potential competition issues in advance. While the three companies have not yet formally submitted their approval application, it is expected to be submitted in the coming weeks. If the relevant companies propose remedies such as asset divestitures, the project could be approved after the first phase of antitrust review, which lasts just over a month, without entering a months-long in-depth investigation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supports the project, but EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager emphasized that even with political-level support, the project must still comply with EU competition regulations.