IP/10/1629
Brussels, 30 November 2010
Mergers: Commission clears Schweizerische Post's stake in German direct mail service provider Meiller direct
The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of joint control over Meiller direct GmbH, a German provider of direct mailing services, by the postal companies Österreichische Post and Schweizerische Post. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
Meiller is currently solely controlled by Österreichische Post. The direct mailing activities of Meiller comprise the printing and enveloping of addressed and unaddressed marketing items in Germany and, to a lesser extent, in France and the Czech Republic. Under the proposed transaction, Schweizerische Post contributes its direct mailing activities to Meiller in exchange of a significant minority shareholding.
The Commission's examination of the proposed transaction showed that the joint venture will have low market shares and that it is very unlikely that the parents would coordinate their competitive behaviour as a consequence of the creation of the joint venture. The Commission therefore concluded that the concentration does not raise any competition concerns.
The transaction was notified to the Commission on 22 October 2010 for regulatory clearance under the EU merger control rules. More information on the case will be available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/case_details.cfm?proc_code=2_M_6023
