On Wednesday 17 May, the European Commission announced that it had conditionally approved the proposed acquisition of retail fuel distributor OMV Slovenija Trgovina Z NAFTO In naftnimi Derivati, D.O.O. (OMV Slovenija) by the oil and gas group MOL Hungary Oil and Gas Plc (MOL).
Following its in-depth investigation, the Commission expressed concerns that the transaction, as initially notified, would harm competition in the retail supply of motor fuels to individuals in Slovenia.
The Commission has therefore given its green light to the acquisition of OMV Slovenija by its close competitor MOL, but has made its approval conditional on the fulfilment of remedies proposed by MOL.
The MOL Group has offered to sell 39 fuel stations in Slovenia that are currently operating as part of the MOL and OMV Slovenija fuel station networks to the Anglo-Dutch competitor Shell. The disposal of these assets should enable Shell to compete effectively with the acquired entity.
Link to the case in the European Commission’s register: https://aeur.eu/f/6yc (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)