(BRUSSELS) - The European Commission said Friday it would rule on Tata Motor's takeover of Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford by the end of April after the Indian company notified the deal to Europe's top antitrust watchdog.

Tata said in the notification that the deal did not represent a "significant impediment to effective competition" because the companies' "combined market shares are small."

Tata Motor's said Wednesday it was buying the two British luxury icons Jaguar and Land Rover from ailing US carmaker Ford for 2.3 billion dollars (1.5 billion euros), vaulting the Indian company into the premium global car market.

The cash purchase, part of plans by India's top vehicle maker to expand its reach beyond Asia, capped months of talks with Ford Motor Co., which is selling the prestige brands to focus on turning around its North American operations after losing 15.3 billion dollars over the past two years.

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