Press Release: Mergers: Commission approves aerospace and defence joint venture between Airbus and Safran, subject to conditions

The European Commission concluded on the 26 November 2014 that the proposed creation of a joint venture for space launchers, satellite subsystems and missile propulsion between Airbus Group N.V. of The Netherlands and Safran S.A. of France was in line with the EU Merger Regulation. Both Airbus and Safran were active in the aerospace and defence industries. The decision was conditional upon the exclusion of Safran's activities in electric satellite thrusters from the joint venture, as well as on certain supply assurance commitments. The Commission had concerns that the joint venture could have shut out Airbus' competitors or limited their access to certain supplies, as well as transmitted strategic information to Airbus. The commitments offered by Airbus and Safran address these concerns.

European Commission: Competition: Mergers http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/legislation/regulations.html

European Commission: DG Competition http://ec.europa.eu/competition/index_en.html

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