Competition Newsletter: May-June 2023

Antitrust

NCA starts a new bid rigging probe

The Serbian NCA has opened an antitrust of investigation into alleged bid rigging by two Serbian companies active in building maintenance. As part of the probe, the NCA performed a dawn raid in two locations. According to the NCA, one of the key indicators of collusion between the investigated companies is that they were accessing Serbia's public procurement portal from the same IP address.

Antitrust

Three travel agencies in a bid rigging probe

Apart from Serbia, Montenegro as well has a new bid rigging probe. Specifically, the Montenegrin NCA is investigating three Montenegrin travel agencies which submitted almost identical bids for the service of reserving hotel accommodation in Montenegro and abroad. The procuring entity in this case was the Montenegrin parliament.

Merger control

Six new merger notifications

In May and June, the Montenegrin NCA announced the receipt of six new merger notifications:

• MTEL DOOEL (North Macedonia) - NEOTEL DOO (North Macedonia)
• DELTA MILL d.o.o. (Serbia) - PRIGAN DOO (Serbia)
• ANTENNA HUNGARIA ZRT (Hungary), Corvinus Nemzetkozi Befektetesi ZRT (Hungary) - Vodofone Magyarorsazag Tavkozlesi ZRT (Hungary)
• PINI Italia S.r.l. (Italy), Asset Management Company S.p.A (Italy) - Ferrarini S.p.A. (Italy)
• AIK Banka a.d. (Serbia) - Eurobank Direktna a.d. (Serbia)
• Lamium Trade Limited (Cyprus), H-Planet d.o.o. (Slovenia), IVICOM Holding GmbH (Austria) - VE Rakova Bara d.o.o. (Montenegro)

Antitrust

Individual exemption of an agreement between breweries

The Bosnian NCA has agreed to extend the individual exemption from prohibition for a set of agreements in the brewing industry. The exempted agreements were entered by and between Bavaria N.V. Netherlands of one part, and Molson Coors d.o.o. Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Zagrebačka pivovara d.o.o. Zagreb (Croatia), Apatinska pivara Apatin d.o.o. Apatin (Serbia) and Trebjesa d.o.o. Nikšić (Montenegro) of the other part. The exemption pertains to an exclusive distribution agreement and a licensing agreement between these parties. The NCA extended the exemption for a period of five years.

Merger control

18 new merger notifications

In May and June, the North Macedonian NCA announced the receipt of 18 new merger notifications:

• Murat Ticaret Kablo Sanayi A.Ş. (Turkey)
• Salus dd (Slovenia) - Medorion doo (Croatia)
• Salus doo (Slovenia) - Farmadent doo (Slovenia)
• United Media Sarl (Luxembourg) - ASPN doo (Slovenia)
• B-Matrix nekretnine d.o.o. (Croatia) - Matrix B (Croatia) [assets]
• Alma Career Ou (Finland) - Vrabotuvanje online doo (North Macedonia)
• Wintergate International SE (Czechia) - Titancoin International a.s. (Czechia)
• Atlantic Grand doo (Serbia) - Strauss Adriatic doo (Serbia)
• Linamar Corporation (Canada) - Dura Automotive Structures DOOEL (North Macedonia), Dura Automotive CZ (Czechia), Dus Operating Inc.
• Balkan Alliance Healthcare B.V. (Netherlands) - Zhan Mitrev (North Macedonia)
• SONA BLW Precision Forgings Limited (India) - Novelic doo (Serbia)
• Thor Industries DOOEL (North Macedonia), PE-VLA-KU SHPK (Albania) - Soravia Invest DOOEL (North Macedonia), Soravia Management DOOEL (North Macedonia)
• Nestle SA (Switzerland), PAI Partners SARL (France) [JV]
• Kostal Beteiligungsgesellschaft 2 mbH (Germany) - Compleo Charging Solutions AG (Germany)
• Geis Cargo International Luxembourg G.m.b.h. (Luxembourg) - Augustin Quehenberger Group GmbH (Austria)
• Aricoma Group a.s. (Czechia) - SYSCOM Software spol. s r.o. (Czechia), ALOE spol s.r.o. (Czechia)
• Saudi Aramco Development Company (Saudi Arabia), Exel Investments Netherlands B.V. (Netherlands) [JV]
• Telekom Serbia ad (Serbia) - Globaltel doo (Serbia)

Merger control

NCA issues a gun-jumping fine in the gasoline market

The Albanian NCA imposed a fine of ALL 5 million (approx. EUR 50,000) on Albanian company Gega Oil Group SHA, for the company's failure to timely notify the acquisition of another Albanian company, Genklaudis SHA. After assessing the effects of the transaction on the relevant market, the NCA found that there was an overlap between the parties at the national level in the oil and gasoline market, but that this overlap was not significant, due to the target company's small market share.

Merger control

Six new merger notifications

In May and June, the Albanian NCA announced the receipt of six new merger notifications:

• GENKLAUDIS SHA (Albania) - GEGA OIL SHA (Albania)
• Saudi Aramco Development Co Ltd (Saudi Arabia), Exel Investments Netherlands BV (Netherlands) [JV]
• CARIAD Estonia AS (Estonia) - Shanghai Muchuan Industrial Design Co. Ltd. (China)
• Eurizon Capital Real Asset SGR SpA (Italy), Sarafin SpA (Italy) - Gruppo Zaffiro Srl (Italy)
• AGNA SHA (Albania), INFO-Telecom SHPK (Albania), TIRANA INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SHPK (Albania) - AMB Construction SHPK (Albania)
• BP Holdings International BV (Netherlands), United World Technologies BV (Netherlands) - AIR BP ALBANIA SHA (Albania)