MERGERS : RHENUS AUTHORISED TO BUY WINCANTON INTERNATIONAL.

• Position: Brief article

The European Commission gave the all-clear, on 22 December 2011, to the proposed acquisition of the logistics business of Wincanton International by Rhenus AG of Germany, a subsidiary of Rethmann Group. The EU executive concluded that the transaction does not raise competition concerns due to the presence of alternative barge container terminals with spare capacities, the specific regulatory scheme applicable to terminal services in Germany and competitive pressure from rail links to the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) ports.

The proposed transaction leads to horizontal overlaps between the activities of Contargo, a Rhenus subsidiary, and Wincanton International in several markets and countries, namely France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.

After receiving complaints, the Commission examined the effects...