Memo: Mergers: Commissioner Kroes welcomes withdrawal of obstacles to Abertis-Autostrade merger and offer of full cooperation

Following her meeting in Brussels on 7 November 2006 with Antonio Di Pietro, Italy’s Minister for Public Works, European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes expressed her satisfaction that the Italian authorities have removed what the Commission considered to be unjustified obstacles to a merger between Abertis of Spain and Autostrade of Italy. Commissioner Kroes also welcomed Mr Di Pietro’s undertaking to respect in full the EU Merger Regulation and that any further authorisation measures concerning the merger would not be implemented without first obtaining the authorisation of the Commission in accordance with Article 21 of the EU Merger Regulation.