Canada, Australia Give OK To Microsoft-Yahoo Deal

The governments of Canada and Australia have given their okay to the proposed Microsoft-Yahoo Search Deal.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published its findings, which say that “the proposed agreement was unlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition.” The ACCC points to an existing deal in which Microsoft is using Yahoo’s paid search platform in Australia, and says that the two companies’ “share of online paid search advertising queries in Australia was limited.” (Ouch.)

The Canadian Competition Bureau has not yet published its findings, but has apparently notified both Yahoo and Microsoft that it won’t oppose the agreement. The two companies issued a joint statement today which says, in part, “We continue to believe that this deal will create a true, competitive alternative in the marketplace that will benefit consumers, advertisers and publishers. We remain hopeful that the agreement will close in early 2010.”