HPs planned $12.6 billion purchase of EDS has received approval after a US government antitrust review.

While the two companies are still waiting for approval from European regulators, EDS plans to hold a shareholder meeting on July 31 to get clearance from its investors to close the deal.

The proposed merger, announced by the companies last month, is touted as a major challenge by HP to IBM’s dominance of the IT business services marketplace.