I stand corrected on the EC giving the deal an easy ride...
EC expresses concerns over IAG, BMI merger, raising prospect of remedies
8 Mar 12 | 10:53 GMT
The European Commission is understood to have expressed initial concerns over International Airlines Group’s planned buyout of rival carrier British Midland, raising the prospect that IAG may have to propose phase I remedies in its quest to obtain merger clearance and complete the tie-up by its end-March target date.
Mlex
This is saying that substantive issues seem to have been raised so IAG will have to put forward remedies (e.g. divestments of slots) to get clearance from the EC before end March. Otherwise it would risk a phase two investigation which would go beyond that date and they couldn't complete while it was still going on.