Merger Case M.8394 | Merger between Essilor and Luxottica

Background information:

Essilor and Luxottica mainly sell complementary optical products, which do not compete with each other. The Commission opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether the merged company might use Luxottica's brands to make opticians buy Essilor lenses and exclude other lens suppliers from the markets, through practices such as bundling or tying.

The Commission thus concluded that the transaction would raise no competition concerns in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.

The European Commission opened in September 2017 an in-depth investigation on the proposed merger between Essilor and Luxottica, amid concerns that the move could reduce competition for ophtalmic lenses.

The merger was approved by the Commission on 1 March 2018.

• Primary Source

European Commission: Press Release, 01.03.18: Commission clears merger between Essilor and Luxottica http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-1442_en.htm

Euronews, 01.03.18: EU, U.S clear Essilor's 48 billion euro merger with Luxottica http://www.euronews.com/2018/03/01/essilor-predicts-relatively-flat-profits-ahead-of-luxottica-deal

Reuters, 26.09.17: Essilor, Luxottica say to co-operate with EU on planned merger https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN1C12C8

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