Brussels, 23/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Commission's competition services have approved part of the planned takeover of the British transport company Go-Ahead by the French holding company C3D and the investment fund Rhone Capital. At the same time, it has referred part of the case to the British authorities. Regulations on concerted agreements do indeed enable national competition authorities to take over from the Community authorities when the consequences of an agreement are limited to a distinct market within national borders. Referring to this clause, the British authorities informed the Commission that they had identified, in the case in question, a market where the conditions for such a referral were met. It is a question of the bus passenger transport market in south and southwest London where the operation threatens to create a dominant position. The Commission considered this referral warranted: the United Kingdom now has four months to take its decision.
The part of the operation authorised by the Commission concerns airport services, rail transport and bus services outside London. Its investigation identified no problem of competition in these areas.