While the European anti-trust regulators continue to delay the $7.4 billion Oracle-Sun Microsystems deal saying that it may be anticompetitive, the UK Oracle User Group has extended its support to Sun’s acquisition by the largest proprietary database vendor.

Putting forth the benefits of the deal, the UK Oracle User Group rebuffed the European Union (EU)’s chief objection that Oracle will acquire the owner of the popular open-source database MySQL and dominate the database market.

The user group said that more significant than MySQL is to provide a determined future for Java, as well as members with a noteworthy investment in Sun hardware.

Noting that the unwarranted delay in the approval or otherwise of the Oracle-Sun deal has adversely affected a number of Sun customers, the user group's chairman Ronan Miles said: “Uncertainty over the future of Java risks our members' investments in both Oracle technologies and in developed applications.”

Further adding that Oracle has reiterated its commitment to retain the employees of acquired companies for the purpose of the best product development, thereby ensuring the best customer value, Miles added: “Oracle, in terms of strategy and commitment to open source, will provide a secure future for Java. Oracle's record of preserving customer investments and support of open standards would indicate as safe a future for MySQL as any other owner.”