Competition Newsletter: September-October 2023

Antitrust

NCA publishes compliance programs guidelines

The Serbian NCA has published an English version of its compliance programs guidelines. The purpose of the guidelines is to guide companies when drafting their internal regulations and ensure that their operations are in line with the competition regulations. The guidelines are in English available here.

here

Merger control

13 new merger notifications

During September and October, the Montenegrin NCA announced the receipt of 13 new merger notifications:

• Generali Investments Holding S.p.A. (Italy) - Conning Holdings Limited (UK)
• Telekom Serbia (Serbia) - Krajnalić Komunikacije doo (Serbia)
• Lamium Trade Limited (Cyprus) - Grand Wind Park doo (Serbia)
• Messer SE & Co. KGaA (Germany), Toyota Tsusho Europe S.A. (Belgium) [JV]
• Alteena Holdings Limited (Cyprus) - In Export doo (Serbia)
• Messer SE & Co. KGaA (Germany) - Yeti GermanCo 1 GmbH (Germany), Yeti Warehouse GmbH (Germany)
• Českȧ spořitelna, a.s. (Czechia) - BNP Paribas Personal Finance SA (France) [assets]
• Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. (Italy) - Liberty Seguros SA (Spain)
• Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Germany) - Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A. (Italy)
• Siemens Energy Holding B.V. (Netherlands) - PRO INTEGRIS d.o.o. (Croatia)
• CEE BIG B.V. (Netherlands) - PKS-LATEX-HLC d.o.o. (Serbia)
• CC Beverages Holdings II B.V. (Netherlands) - Brown-Forman Finland Oy (Finland)
• Orbico doo (Croatia), Asnova Holding pad (Ukraine) - SAV 92 doo (Ukraine)

State aid

Ex-post control of aid to Montenegro's steel producer

The Montenegrin NCA, which also deals with state aid issues, has started an ex post control of the possible assistance to Montenegro's steel producer, located in the city of Nikšić. The NCA has established that, before it would clear the aid, Elektroprivreda Crne Gore AD (the country's incumbent electricity producer) bough assets of the steel company, whereby that purchase may have amounted to state aid. In this ex post investigation, the NCA is checking the accordance of the transaction with the Montenegrin state aid regulations.

Merger control

Two new merger notifications

During September and October, the Bosnian NCA announced the receipt of two new merger notifications:

• Knjaz Miloš a.d. (Serbia) - PepsiCo, Inc. (USA) [assets]
• Prevent Nekretnine d.o.o. (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Prevent Cables d.o.o. (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Pro Consulting d.o.o. (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - Saniteks d.d. (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Merger control

27 new merger notifications

During September and October, the NM NCA announced the receipt of 27 new merger notifications:

• Daimler Truck Holding AG (Germany) - Mercedes-Benz AG (Germany)
• Teak Capital BV (Netherlands), Tangor Capital SA (Portugal) - NIH VI VOV Holdings Sarl (Luxembourg)
• Netcetera Group AG (Switzerland) - Braingroup AG (Switzerland)
• Smartseller GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Flughafen Nürnberg Service GmbH (Germany) - Smartseller Flughafen Nürnberg GmbH
• RWA International Holdings GmbH (Austria) - Aisle 40 doo (Croatia)
• Volvo Business Services International AB (Sweden), Reno SAS (France) [JV]
• Aramco Overseas Company BV (Netherlands), EIG Management Company LLC (USA) - MidOcean Holdings II LP (UK)
• KKCG Real Estate Group a.s. (Czechia), Rockaway Group a.s. (Czechia) [JV]
• Springtide Ventures sro (Czechia), Triquetra AG (Lichtenstein) - InStar Technologies (Czechia)
• Petrol ad (Slovenia) - Energospektar doo (Croatia)
• Telekom Serbia ad (Serbia) - Film Klub Extra doo (Serbia)
• Galenika ad (Serbia) - Lifemedic doo (Serbia)
• United Media Sarl (Luxembourg), Hostafrano Limited (Cyprus) - Greek Yellow Pages Printed and Electronic Information SA (Greece)
• Deutsche Luftansa AG (Germany) - Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A. (Italy)
• Flutter Entertainment Holdings Ireland Limited (Ireland) - Max Bet doo (Serbia)
• Schmitz Cargobull AG (Germany) - Berger Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH (Austria)
• Mr. Dirk Hoffman (Germany) - EWT Truck & Trailer Handels GmbH (Austria), EWT Immobilien GmbH (Austria)
• Telekom Serbia ad (Serbia) - Krajnalić Komunikacije doo (Serbia)
• Poly Recycling AG (Switzerland) - Greentech MK (North Macedonia)
• Hamburger Recycling Group GmbH (Austria) - Euro-Cart Srl (Italy)
• ProPharma Group Netherlands BV (Netherlands) - Clinres Farmacija doo (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania)
• Arifi Selaudin - Žito Karaorman ad (North Macedonia)
• Arena Channels Group doo (Serbia) - Arena Sport doo (Slovenia)
• CSIC Longjiang GH Gas Turbine Co. Ltd. (China) - MAN Energy Solutions SE (Germany), MAN Energy Solutions Schweiz AG (Switzerland) [assets]
• Nippon Express Holdings Inc. (Japan) - Cargo-Partner group (Austria)
• Generali Investments Holding SpA (Italy) - Conning Holdings Limited (UK)
• K.P. (Greece) - Sivec Investments Ltd (Cyprus)

Antitrust

Bid rigging probe launched

The Albanian NCA has announced it has started a bid rigging probe against two companies - Raimondo GP LLC and Li.Bo – Albania Branch LLC. The NCA suspects the companies used a bidding scheme by agreeing that one of the competitors would make a bid unacceptable to the contracting authority. The investigation will cover the period between September 2022 and October 2023.

Merger control

13 new merger notifications

During September and October, the Albanian NCA announced the receipt of 13 new merger notifications:

• Royal Unibrew A/S(Denmakrk) - Vrumona BV (Netherlands)
• Messer SE & Co. KGaA (Germany), Toyota Tsusho Europe (Belgium) [JV]
• Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Germany), Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Italy - Italia Trasporto Aereo SpA (Italy)
• Statkraft Varme AS (Norway) - Winns AS (Norway) [assets]
• Statkraft Ireland Limited (Ireland) - MHB Wind Farms (Holdings) Limited (Ireland), Taurbeg Limited (Ireland)
• Nelt Co. doo (Serbia), Neregelia doo (Montenegro) - D Way doo (Serbia), D Way doo (Montenegro)
• Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Arabia), Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (China), Public Investment Fund [JV]
• DS Smith Packaging South East GmbH (Austria) - Bosis doo (Serbia)
• Statkraft Varme AS (Norway) - Winns AS (Norway) [assets]
• Eurizon Capital Real Asset SGR SpA (Italy), Ersel Management SGR SpA (Italy) - Tecnofer SpA (Italy)
• Statkraft Offshore Wind AS (Norway) - Njordr Offshore Wind AB (Norway)
• Statkraft Energias Renovaveis SA (Brazil) - Jerusalem Holding SA (Brazil), Central Eolica Baqueirao I SA, Central Eolica Baqueirao II SA (Brazil)
• Statkraft Sverige AB (Sweden) - Svevind Nordic AB (Sweden)