The European Union has extended the deadline for a decision on the approval of Korean Air Lines’ proposed acquisition of Asiana Airlines.

According to the aviation industry on Thursday, the European Commission(EC), the EU's executive arm, reached the decision to extend the deadline for another 20 business days last Friday.

The EC initially planned to make a decision on the acquisition on August 3, but the latest extension is likely to postpone the decision by two months.

Korean Air said that it had requested and received an extension to prepare for remedies addressing the EC’s competition concerns, adding that it will soon submit a remedy package and finalize the discussion with the EC within the new deadline.

The airline, which has been seeking the deal since November 2020, has reported the planned merger to 14 countries, including South Korea, and is currently awaiting approval from the EU, the U.S. and Japan.