Competition Newsletter: May 2021

Sector inquiry into tour operators market

The Serbian NCA has conducted a sector inquiry into the country's tour operators market. In the inquiry, the NCA looked at the relationship between competing tour operators, as well as at contractual relationships between travel organizers and travel guarantee providers. The NCA also provided its assessment of the current legal framework governing tour operators.

State aid for digitalization of the archives of the public broadcaster cleared

In ex ante proceedings, Serbia's state aid authority has cleared state support to the project of digitalization of the content archive of the country's public broadcaster - Radio-Television of Serbia. The value of the project in 2021 is estimated at approx. EUR 1.3 million, of which approx. EUR 900,000 will be financed through state aid.

Antitrust

NCA probes DMD Delta

The Montenegrin NCA has started an antitrust investigation against Montenegrin company DMD Delta doo Podgorica. The NCA is probing whether the company's acts may have amounted to a restrictive agreement which limits or controls production, markets, technical development, or investment. No additional information about the case is available at this moment.

A quiet month in Bosnia and Herzegovina

It was a quiet May in Bosnia and Herzegovina - nothing interesting to report from the previous month.

Merger control

Six new merger notifications

During May, the North Macedonian NCA announced the receipt of six new merger notifications:

• GreenforGrowthFund, SoutheastEurope SA, SICAV-SIF (Luxembourg), BNB Kompani (North Macedonia) - Thor Impeks DOOEL (North Macedonia)
• EP Logistics International, a.s. (Czechia), Slovenske železnice, d.o.o. (Slovenia) [JV]
• LINK Mobility Group AS (Norway) - MarketingPlatform ApS (Denmark)
• Bulgarian Telecommunications Company EAD (Bulgaria) - Networx - Bulgaria EOOD (Bulgaria), TV N Distribution Bulgaria EOOD (Bulgaria), Telco Infrastructures EOOD (Bulgaria)
• BP Europa SE (Germany) - Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (Germany)
• Interenergo, energetski inženiring, d.o.o. (Slovenia) - Park Na Veterni Elektrani DOO (North Macedonia)