On Thursday 16 December, the European Commission said that it had taken note of the announcement by IAG and Globalia that they had decided to terminate their proposed agreement, whereby IAG would acquire sole control of Air Europa.
IAG owns several airlines, including Iberia and Vueling, and is the largest airline in Spain. Air Europa is the third largest airline in Spain.
The Commission confirms that the discussions with the companies and the package of remedies proposed so far have not adequately addressed the competition concerns it had identified. The Commission opened an in-depth investigation into the proposed transaction on 29 June 2021 (see EUROPE 12752/23).
The in-depth analysis carried out in phase II of the investigation showed that the merger would have had a negative impact on competition on certain domestic, short-haul and long-haul routes to and from Spain. IAG proposed remedies that did not fully address the competition concerns, the Commission concluded. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)