06/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 4 August, the European Commission approved the acquisition of the Austrian financial group, Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA), by the Austrian Ministry of Finance. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. This is the second time that the Commission has examined the nationalisation of a bank following the financial crisis under the EU merger regulation. The first case concerned the acquisition of the German financial institution, Hypo Real Estate AG, by Germany's state-owned financial market stabilisation fund. (O.L./transl.jl)