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Google announced the deal in November last year, as it seeks to
compete with Apple <AAPL.O> and Samsung <005930.KS> in the
crowded market for fitness trackers and smart watches.
Fitbit, whose fitness trackers and other devices monitor users'
daily steps, calories burned and distance travelled, would give
the U.S. tech giant access to a trove of health data gathered
from Fitbit devices.
Such access is worrying, the EU privacy watchdog said.
"The possible further combination and accumulation of sensitive
personal data regarding people in Europe by a major tech company
could entail a high level of risk to privacy and data
protection," it said.
It urged the companies to assess their data privacy requirements
and privacy implications in a transparent way and mitigate
possible privacy and data protection risks before seeking EU
antitrust approval for the deal.
European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who will
vet the deal, in November voiced her concerns about big
companies targeting data-heavy rivals.
The European Commission on Thursday in an emailed comment said
it had yet to be formally notified.
"It is always up to the companies to notify transactions with an
EU dimension to the European Commission," it said.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Barbara Lewis)
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