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(ANSA) – ROME, SEP 14 – It would be “absurd and
incomprehensible” if the European Union were to put “brakes” on
the merger between Ita and Lufthansa, Business and Made in Italy
Minister Adolfo Urso said on Thursday.
“Europe asked all the governments that preceded us to resolve
the ex-Alitalia issue through privatisation,” said Urso.
“The other governments failed to deal with the issue, and we are
resolving it with a procedure whereby a foreign company acquires
a share, following perfectly the drive that Europe has been
giving for years,” he added.
The EU’s assessment of this manoeuvre should be “not only
positive, but commendable”, Urso concluded.
In May Italy and Germany agreed to the acquisition by German
carrier Lufthansa in the two-year period 2023-2024 of a 41%
stake in ITA’s share capital against an investment of 325
million euros.
However, the deal still needs to be approved by EU competition
and antitrust authorities, a step that can only be taken once
they have received official notification of the deal from the
contracting parties.
On Sunday Italian economy ministry sources said Italy was
waiting for the outcome of an EC probe, which is expected to be
fast, before proceeding with notification.
“The notification of the agreement for the sale of a minority
share of Ita to Lufthansa to the European Commission for
Competition is accepted, by practice, only at the end of an
investigation that the same commission is carrying out very
meticulously in the context of a pre-notification phase that has
already begun”, explained the sources.
Separately, EC sources said the commission was in close contact
with Italy and Germany over the deal.
“The European Commission remains in close contact with the
parties to discuss the transaction”.
“Prior to its official notification, these pre-notification
contacts are continuous and are part of the standard process for
assessing a complex transaction”, the sources added.
On Thursday a Lufthansa spokesperson told ANSA that the company
is “at an advanced stage in the process of formally notifying
the transaction” with Ita “to the European Commission and other
relevant authorities”.
“We look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue towards
an early go-ahead,” the spokesperson added. (ANSA).
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