German Cartel Office Investigates DDP's Acquisition of AP
The German Federal Cartel Office is closely scrutinizing the merger of the news agencies DDP and AP Deutschland. The investigation was triggered by a complaint from rival agency DPA, which had urged the Cartel Office to investigate the merger of the two competitors.
Antitrust regulators are now examining the merger’s impact on the media market. If they conclude that the merger creates or strengthens a dominant market position, they may impose conditions. According to a spokesperson, the newly formed news agency group DAPD DDP—comprising AP and DDP—intends to provide the Federal Cartel Office with all necessary information as soon as possible. No major objections to the merger are expected from the competition authorities. The emergence of a second full-service agency alongside DPA does not impair competition but rather stimulates it.
