TIM Sparkle sale wins EU clearance for €700 million deal

TL;DR:

• The European Commission cleared the acquisition of TIM wholesale unit Sparkle by Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and Retelit.
• The deal was signed in April 2025 and values Sparkle at €700 million.
• TIM said in March 2026 that it expected the transaction to close in H1 2026, after previously targeting Q4 2025.

The European Commission cleared the acquisition of TIM wholesale unit Sparkle by Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and infrastructure company Retelit, according to a Mobile World Live report published in 2026. The deal was signed in April 2025 and values Sparkle at €700 million.

The European Commission said the transaction would not raise competition concerns because of its limited impact in the affected markets. It said the deal mainly concerns cable landing stations, submarine cables and related infrastructure, and added that where the parties overlap horizontally, their combined market shares would remain moderate and several alternative providers would remain in the market. The Commission also said the new entity would not have the ability or incentive to foreclose rival providers of backhaul activities.

The clearance moves TIM closer to completing the Sparkle sale after lengthy negotiations. TIM had originally targeted Q4 2025 for completion, but in its annual report published in March 2026 it said it expected closure in H1 2026. In that report, TIM CEO Pietro Labriola said that if the deal closes, the company could consider returning to shareholder remuneration through a share buyback program of up to €400 million.

Related Questions

Who is buying Sparkle from TIM?

Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and Retelit are buying Sparkle and will take joint control of the wholesale provider.

How much is the TIM Sparkle deal worth?

€700 million. The sale agreement signed in April 2025 values Sparkle at that amount.

When is the Sparkle sale expected to close?

H1 2026. TIM said in its March 2026 annual report that it expected the transaction to close in the first half of 2026 after previously targeting Q4 2025.