Brussels, 25/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 25 July, the European Commission decided that the creation of a joint venture between Lagardère Services and SNCF Participations was not a merger in the sense of EU rules, because it will not establish a fully functioning joint company. Lagardère Services is a subsidiary of Groupe Lagardère, active in retail sales in airports, railway and Metro stations, the distribution of newspapers and corner shops. SNCF Participations, a subsidiary of SNCF, controls the Gares et Connexions arm that manages French railway stations. The merged entity will run a series of sales outlets for tobacco, newspapers, snacks and souvenirs in French railways stations. The Commission's assessment found that the joint venture's reliance on services from the parent companies for financial and human resources and the purchase and sale of products means that it will not be able to sustainably fulfil all the functions of an autonomous economic entity. (EL)