(Adds European Commission decline comment)
By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, June 17 (Reuters) - Britain's Carphone Warehouse and Dixons Retail will secure unconditionalEuropean Union antitrust approval for their 3.8-billion-pound($6.38 billion) merger, two people familiar with the matter saidon Tuesday.
Carphone, Europe's biggest independent mobile phoneretailer, and Dixons, Europe's second largest electricalretailer, hope the proposed tie-up will help them capitalise onthe growing popularity of smartphones connected to consumerelectronics such as ovens and fridges.
Last month, the European Commission asked British retailerswhether the merger would push up the prices of mobile phones andtablets because of the combined company's bigger market share.
The EU competition watchdog will clear the deal withoutrequiring concessions from the companies, indicating it does nothave any concerns, said one of the people.
Commission spokesman for competition policy AntoineColombani declined to comment. The agency has set a June 25deadline for its decision.
Dixons owns the Currys and PC World chains in Britain,Elkjop in Nordic countries and Kotsovolos in Greece. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Adrian Croft)
