Bundeskartellamt clears Klambt’s participation in MZV

The Bundeskartellamt has cleared plans by the magazine publisher Klambt to participate in the joint venture MZV Moderner Zeitschriften-Vertrieb previously controlled by FUNKE Mediengruppe and Burda.

The authority specifically examined the notified acquisition of a 31.67% share in MZV Moderner Zeitschriften-Vertrieb GmbH & Co. KG and in MZV Export-Import Zeitschriften-Vertrieb GmbH & Co. KG by Medienholding Klambt GmbH & Co. KG. Both target companies are active in the so-called “national distribution” for magazine and newspaper publishers. They provide their customers with services related to the distribution of their media products. These include quantity planning, dispatch and logistics, accounting and distributing the magazines and newspapers to press wholesalers and railway station bookshops. So far, MZV has been jointly controlled by FUNKE Mediengruppe GmbH & Co. KGaA and Hubert Burda Media Holding KG. After the merger, FUNKE, Burda and Klambt will exercise joint control over MZV.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: “Since Klambt has previously only distributed its own newspapers and magazines and has not provided any third-party services on the relevant market, the merger is not expected to significantly impede effective competition and could thus be cleared without in-depth investigations.”