Brussels, 24/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 24 October, the European Commission gave the go-ahead to the acquisition of joint control over G+J/RBA and of sole control over National Geographic Buchgesellschaft, both of Germany, by Piper, belonging to the Bonnier Group of Sweden. G+J/RBA publishes the German edition of the National Geographic magazines and National Geographic Buchgesellschaft is active in the publishing of books under the National Geographic brand, in particular travel guides, calendars and illustrated books, in Germany. Piper is active in book publishing in Germany and Austria. The Bonnier Group is active in the publishing of books, newspapers and periodicals mainly in the European Economic Area (EEA). The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would not raise competition concerns given the moderate combined market position of Piper and National Geographic Buchgesellschaft in the markets for the acquisition of publishing rights for German-language books and for the sale of German-language books in Germany and Austria, where they are both active, and given that neither Piper nor Bonnier is active in the publishing of German-language magazines. The transactions, notified on 27 September, were examined under the simplified merger review procedure. (FG/transl.fl)