Bundeskartellamt clears acquisition of Berliner Verlag by Veronis Suhler Stevenson and Mecom

The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the acquisition of Berliner Verlag GmbH & Co.KG (“Berliner Verlag”) by Veronis Suhler Stevenson International Ltd. („VSS“) and the Mecom Group plc. (“Mecom”). The merger affects the reader markets for subscription daily newspapers, over-the-counter newspapers and city magazines, and the advertising market for newspapers in the Berlin area.

Bundeskartellamt President Ulf Böge: “The planned merger will not lead to the creation or strengthening of dominant positions in the markets concerned because it does not involve any increase in market shares.”

Neither VSS nor Mecom are active in the markets concerned, be it directly or indirectly via participations. In addition, Holtzbrinck does not have a right of repurchase or any other comparable right. Consequently the merger project could be cleared.