EU Commission lawyers initially opposed warning Amazon on iRobot deal - sources

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Amazon is seen at the company's logistics centre in Boves, France, October 6, 2021 REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Commission lawyers initially opposed sending a warning to Amazon over its $1.4 billion acquisition of robot vacuum maker iRobot, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

The Commission's legal service did not think a statement of objections regarding the deal was warranted, in contrast with antitrust officials handling the case, the people said. Without such a charge sheet, the deal would have been cleared unconditionally.