Brussels, 18/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - As we previously indicated on 17 February the European Commission granted regulatory approval to the acquisition by Volkswagen AG of a majority shareholding in two subsidiaries of the Stuttgart based car dealer Hahn + Lang, VW Automobile Stuttgart and Audi Zentrum Stuttgart. On 14 January 2004, Volkswagen AG (VW) notified to the Commission its intention to acquire a majority shareholding in VW Automobile Stuttgart KG and Audi Zentrum Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG, two newly created companies in which the current owner Hahn + Lang GmbH & Co. KG (H+L) will retain a co-controlling minority shareholding. The operation did not raise any competition concerns with regard to the markets for the production and for the retail distribution of new passenger cars, in which sufficient competition from other brands of cars exists. The Commission's examination focused on the impact of the vertical integration on competition with respect to original spare parts for cars of the VW and Audi brands. At the end of the investigation the Commission decided that VW's strong position on the production of these parts is not reinforced through the merger.