Brussels, 06/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission authorised the planned acquisition of joint control over the Spanish electricity company Hidroelectrica del Cantabrico (Hirdocantabrico) by the Portuguese electricity company EDP - Electricidade de Portugal SA and two Spanish companies, the Caja de Ahorros de Asturias (Cajastur) building society, and the insurance, reinsurance and pension fund company Caja de Seguros Reunidos, Compania de Segurios y Reaseguros SA (Caser). The public offer, which was authorised by the Spanish market authorities last 6 February, do not raise concerns with regards to competition, as EDP and Hidrocantabrico, present in different markets (Portugal and Spain, respectively), will have to sustain a real and potential competition in their national markets. For several months Hidrocantabrico has been prone to competing offers for acquisition by EDP (associated to Cajastur and Caser), the German group RWE and the Spanish group Ferroatlantica. The latter recently threw down the towel following the latest increase by RWE. (See EI of 28 January and of 8 and 15 February).