Competition Newsletter: July-August 2024

Antitrust

Investigation on the market for measuring instruments

The Serbian NCA has started an antitrust probe against two companies, Metabo Center from Serbia and Kapro Industries Ltd. from Israel, concerning an alleged restrictive agreement. The NCA suspects that Metabo Center, an importer of mechanical and laser measuring instruments manufactured by Kapro, and Kapro have pressured foreign suppliers of Kapro brand tools to stop deliveries to other Serbian companies selling Kapro products. The NCA sees these actions as being aimed at eliminating the wholesale competition of Metabo Center in Serbia. At the start of the case, the NCA has conducted a dawn raid at the premises of Metabo Center (Kapro does not have a subsidiary in Serbia so it has not been raided).

Merger control

Two new gun-jumping investigations

During the summer, the Serbian NCA started two new gun-jumping investigations. The first investigation is against the Slovenian company Villager doo, concerning the takeover of another Slovenian company, Semenarna doo. In the other case, the NCA is investigating the Serbian company Agromarket doo concerning the takeover of AM Hotel doo from Slovenia. According to the NCA, both Villager and Agromarket appear to have same ultimate owners.

Merger control

Nine new merger clearances

During July and August, the Montenegrin NCA published nine new merger clearances:

• INFRANITY EQUITY FUND SCA SICAV-RAIF (Luxembourg) - La Planchette Financière (France)
• INFRANITY EQUITY FUND SCA SICAV-RAIF (Luxembourg), Eurazeo S.E. (France) - Etix Everywhere Holding (France)
• Lufthansa Technik AG (Germany) - LG-LHT Aircraft Solutions GmbH (Germany), LG-LHT Passenger Solutions GmbH (Germany), AerQ GmbH (Germany)
• Corvinus Nemzetközi Befektetési Zrt. (Hungary), Magyar Vagon Befektetési Vagyonkezelő Zrt. (Hungary) - Talgo S.A. (Spain)
• Audi AG (Germany) - Sauber Holding AG (Switzerland)
• INPHARM CO DOO (Serbia) - Casa Špadijer Bioclinica d.o.o. (Serbia)
• Neregelia Trading Limited (Cyprus) - Nelt LLC (Kosovo)
• EON TV International Ltd. (Cyprus) - Elemental.TV EOOD (Bulgaria)
• Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company-MASDAR P.J.S.C. (UAE), First Sentier Investors (US) Infrastructure GP LLC (USA) - Terra-Gen Power Holdings II, LLC (USA)

Merger control

Two new merger notifications

During August and July, the Bosnian NCA announced the receipt of two new merger notifications:

• Messer SE & Co. KGaA (Germany), Delta Holding doo (Serbia) - Resity Technologies doo (Serbia)
• C.I.A.K. Auto d.o.o. (Croatia) – SIM IMPEX d.o.o. (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Merger control

26 new merger notifications

During July and August, the North Macedonian NCA announced the receipt of 26 new merger notifications:

• Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG (Germany) - Jardine Specialist Cars Ltd. (UK) [assets]
• Mavie Next GmbH (Austria) - Cura Domo Holding GmbH (Austria)
• Proteini.si d.o.o. (Slovenia) - Atombody GmbH (Austria), MSG Online GmbH (Austria) [assets]
• Telemach Slovenija d.o.o. (Slovenia) - T -2 d.o.o. (Slovenia)
• Alfi Renewables d.o.o. (Slovenia) - Supernova Čazma d.o.o. (Croatia), SN Dubica d.o.o. (Croatia)
• Aricoma a.s. (Czechia) - NEOFACTO Luxembourg S.A. (Luxembourg)
• Telekom Serbia ad (Serbia) - Mondo Inc doo (Serbia)
• Mesna industrija Braća Pivac d.o.o. (Croatia) - CM Invest GmbH (Austria)
• Austrotherm GmbH (Austria) - Monosi - Syskevasia AVEE (Greece)
• Unija Holding d.o.o. (Slovenia) - Unija Smart Accounting dooel (North Macedonia)
• Rauch Fruchtsäfte GmbH (Austria) - Vita Res doo (North Macedonia)
• Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG (Germany) - V4Drive Battery GmbH (Germany)
• Euromedia Group a.s. (Czechia) - PEMIC Books a.s. (Czechia)
• Certis Belchim B.V. (Netherlands), Redestos S.A. (Greece) [JV]
• Renalfa Europe, UAB (Lithuania), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (UK) - Eldrive Holding GmbH (Lithuania)
• Telekom Serbia ad (Serbia) - Team Net KDS doo (Serbia)
• Fashion Company doo (Serbia) - Erudita Balkans doo (Serbia) [assets]
• Alfi Re d.o.o. (Slovenia), Erste d.o.o. (Croatia) - Lighthouse Investments d.o.o. (Slovenia)
• International Paper Company (USA) - DS Smith Plc (UK)
• MDM d.o.o. (Slovenia) - technometall EDELSTAHL GmbH (Austria)
• Končar - Elektroindustrija d.d. (Croatia), Siemens Energy Holding BV (Netherlands) [JV]
• Menzies Aviation Europe BV (Netherlands), Air Serbia ad (Serbia) - Menzies Aviation doo (Serbia)
• Airstar doo (Serbia), EL&MI doo (Serbia) - Flius doo (Serbia)
• SC Airbag Holdings (Japan) - Sumisho Airbag Systems Co. (Japan)
• Podravka Agri d.o.o. (Croatia) - Belje plus d.o.o. (Croatia), PIK-Vinkovci plus d.o.o. (Croatia), VUPIK plus d.o.o. (Croatia), Energija Gradec d.o.o. (Croatia), Belje Agro-Vet plus d.o.o. (Croatia), FELIKS plus d.o.o. (Croatia)
• Public Power Corporation S.A. (Greece) - Felix Renewable Holdings Srl (Romania), TMK Hydroenergy Power (Romania)

Merger control

Three new merger notifications

During July and August, the Albanian NCA announced the receipt of three new merger notifications:

• International Paper Company (USA) - DS Smith PLC (UK)
• VIKA VTTI SpA (Italy) - TERMINALE GNL ADRIATICO SRL (Italy)
• Proximus Opal (Belgium) - Route Mobile Limited (India)