According to the German daily Die Welt, the German groups VIAG and VEBA, currently in the process of merging, will have to sell their share in the eastern-German electricity company VEAG to receive the approval for their merger on the part of the German competition authorities. VEBA has a 26.25% stake in VEAG through its energy subsidiary PREUSSENELEKTRA and VIAG a 22.5% stake through its own subsidiary BAYENWERK.