Brussels, 30/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition by the Italian company, Autogrill, and the French-Spanish tobacco manufacturer, Altadis, of the Spanish group, Adeasa, via a joint public takeover bid in which the group is worth EUR 770 million, or 36.57 euros per share. Aldeasa is active in retail services at airports in Spain, Portugal and some non-EU countries. Autogrill operates restaurants and catering outlets on motorways, in railway stations, shopping centres and other transit areas in several EU Member States and the US. Altadis manufactures and distributes tobacco products mainly in France, Spain and Italy. After the Commission's inquiry, the Commission felt that the operation envisaged would not significantly impede effective competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it as the horizontal overlaps between the activities of the parties in the concession foodservice and airport retail sectors are very limited. The review also examined possible problems in the vertical relationship between Altadis and Aldeasa since Altadis tobacco brands are sold at Aldeasa airport outlets. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would not give rise to any risk that competition would be reduced given the limited sale of Altadis tobacco brands at duty-free outlets, together with the minor role of these outlets as a channel for the overall sale of tobacco products in Spain.