Press Release: Mergers: Commission refers Lidl’s proposed acquisition of the Tengelmann supermarket chains in Bulgaria and Romania to national competition authorities

The European Commission referred on 28 June 2010 the assessment of the acquisition of Plus Bulgaria and Plus Romania by the German retailer Lidl to the competition authorities of Bulgaria and Romania, at their request. After a preliminary investigation, the Commission found that the proposed transaction would affect competition in the Bulgarian and Romanian local markets for daily consumer goods. These markets will now be examined by the Bulgarian and Romanian competition authorities under national law.