Axel Springer/ProSiebenSat.1: Cartel Office considers merger ban to be appropriate
In an interim statement, the German Federal Cartel Office announced that, according to the current status of the investigations, the conditions for prohibiting the merger have been met.
The German Federal Cartel Office has
against the takeover of the ProSiebenSat.1 TV group by the
Axel Springer media group. According to Springer, the office
informed the parties involved on Friday that, according to the current status
the requirements for a prohibition of the use of the
of the merger. As a result of the merger, Springer would
competitor Bertelsmann (the owner of the RTL Group), which
The competitive conditions on the television advertising market
deteriorated, according to the cartel watchdogs. This means that two
symmetrical groups that no longer compete with each other
would. In addition, the merger would lead to the strengthening of a
Springer's dominant position in the reader market for
newspapers and on the market for advertisements in nationwide
Daily newspapers. In its press release, the media group
confident that the Office's concerns will be addressed in the further course of the
process. "We have good arguments and are
confident that in the further talks with the Federal Cartel Office
to obtain approval of the merger," the
CEO Mathias Döpfner was quoted. The outcome of the
The outcome of the antitrust proceedings remains open, the decision
is expected by the end of the year.
against the takeover of the ProSiebenSat.1 TV group by the
Axel Springer media group. According to Springer, the office
informed the parties involved on Friday that, according to the current status
the requirements for a prohibition of the use of the
of the merger. As a result of the merger, Springer would
competitor Bertelsmann (the owner of the RTL Group), which
The competitive conditions on the television advertising market
deteriorated, according to the cartel watchdogs. This means that two
symmetrical groups that no longer compete with each other
would. In addition, the merger would lead to the strengthening of a
Springer's dominant position in the reader market for
newspapers and on the market for advertisements in nationwide
Daily newspapers. In its press release, the media group
confident that the Office's concerns will be addressed in the further course of the
process. "We have good arguments and are
confident that in the further talks with the Federal Cartel Office
to obtain approval of the merger," the
CEO Mathias Döpfner was quoted. The outcome of the
The outcome of the antitrust proceedings remains open, the decision
is expected by the end of the year.
