Commissie keurt overname van Scania door Volkswagen goed (en)

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Swedish truck and bus manufacturer Scania by Volkswagen group of Germany. After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.

Volkswagen, one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world, develops, manufactures, markets and sells passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, including spare parts and accessories. The company also distributes vehicles. The Volkswagen Group includes the vehicle brands Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti. It also has some diesel engine activities. In addition, Volkswagen holds a minority shareholding in MAN, a German producer of medium-sized and heavy trucks, buses, and engines.

Scania develops, manufactures, markets and sells trucks with a gross vehicle weight of more than sixteen tonnes for long-haulage, construction haulage and distribution of goods. Scania also manufactures and sells buses and chassis for buses and industrial and marine diesel engines. Scania is mainly active in Europe.

The Commission’s examination of the proposed transaction showed that the parties' activities do not overlap as far as their core business is concerned. Volkswagen is mainly a manufacturer of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles and Scania is not active in this market sector. As regards Volkswagen's non-controlling minority shareholding in truck and bus manufacturer MAN, the Commission decided that this would not have adverse effects on competition. Volkswagen's own activities in the production of trucks and buses are limited to Central and South America. On the other hand, Scania is a producer of heavy trucks focussed on the EEA markets. The only overlaps exist in the manufacturing of diesel engines for industrial use and for marine applications. As these overlaps are only marginal, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not give rise to competition concerns in the EEA in any of the markets concerned.

More information on the case will be available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/mergers/cases/index/m103.html#m_5157