--The European Union is demanding that EssilorLuxottica SA sell retail stores in Italy and in either France or the Netherlands to secure its planned 7.2 billion-euro ($8.1 billion) acquisition of GrandVision NV, the Financial Times reports.

--The request comes ahead of an August 20 deadline, when EU regulators will decide whether to clear the deal following a probe into concerns that the acquisition could undermine competition, according to the news outlet.

--So far, the Franco-Italian optical giant hasn't committed to selling shops partly due to difficult trading conditions and risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the FT reports. 



  Full story: https://on.ft.com/38UsuEo

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