The European Commission (EC) approved Apple’s purchase of music app Shazam, a deal said to be worth around $400 million, having previously expressed concerns it could reduce choice for users of music streaming services.

In a statement, the commission said it believed the merger would not adversely affect competition. Margrethe Vestager, EC competition commissioner, explained: “Data is key in the digital economy. We must therefore carefully review transactions which lead to the acquisition of important sets of data, including potentially commercially sensitive ones, to ensure they do not restrict competition.

Included in the EC’s findings was the fact that access to Shazam’s data would not increase Apple’s ability to target music enthusiasts by much. It also concluded competitors would not be shut out of the market.

Apple confirmed the agreement to acquire Shazam in December 2017, in a bid to bolster its music streaming proposition and step up competition with major rivals Spotify and Google.

Founded in 1999, Shazam is able to recognise a song after hearing a snippet of sound. It is likely Apple will gain exclusivity on Shazam’s patented audio recognition system.