Google gets European Commission approval for its purchase of Motorola Mobility

Google is one step closer to making it through the gauntlet of regulatory approval for its proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility, as it now has the thumbs-up from the European Commission, according to Reuters. Commissioner Joaquin Almunia stated that the transaction was approved because it "does not itself raise competition issues." That's not to say the EU won't be watching Mountain View like a hawk to ensure it doesn't go overboard on patent disputes, however, as each legal matter will be reviewed separately for compliance with antitrust laws. And while this is an incredibly important step for Google, the software giant's not through with the regulatory process -- it still needs to be signed off by the US Justice Department (expected later this week), as well as governing bodies in China, Israel and Taiwan.