RALEIGH – The path for regulatory approval for IBM’s $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat could be a bit easier, according to a report.

One of the biggest remaining hurdles to the deal is an OK from the European Union, which has said it expects to make a decision by June 27.

However, merger and acquisition news site MLex Market Insight is reporting that the EU did not ask IBM to attend a meeting last week.

IBM’s Rometty: Red Hat will remain independent – ‘I don’t have a death wish’

“The research firm notes this could be a sign the EC won’t conduct an in-depth review of the deal,” says business news site SeekingAlpha, citing the report.

“There also wasn’t a status meeting.”

The same news source also reported that the IBM-Red Hat deal has not ignited antitrust concerns in Brazil.

IBM officials have insisted that the deal would win regulatory approval.

The deal was announced last October and already has been approved by the US Department of Justice.

IBM has said that Red Hat will operate as a separate entity under its CEO Jim Whitehurst.

Report: EU to decide whether to approve IBM-Red Hat deal by June 27