Vj-127/1997/23
LÁNG PUBLISHING AND HOLDING COMPANY/STATE PRINTING HOUSE
Láng Publishing and Holding company and State Printing House concluded an agreement under which they would buy 25, 9 and 64,9 per cent of the shares of Atheneum Printing House, respectively. All the three companies are operating on the same market of the printing industry. Láng owns 66 per cent of shares of State Printing House, in addition it controls independently or jointly with State Printing House directly or indirectly further 7 undertakings. The net turnover of the Láng group (HUF 12,9 billion), the members of which are the parties involved directly or indirectly in the planned concentration and that of the Atheneum which was coming under control (HUF 1,3 billion) exceed the HUF 10 billion and HUF 500 million threshold respectively, provided by the Competition Act, therefore they applied for a preliminary authorisation.
Although the Competition Council stated that the Láng group had relatively high (about 20 per cent) and Atheneum had only 2 per cent market share on the relevant market but the participation of 26 permanent and 260 temporary undertakings assured strong competition on the market. In the Competition Council`s view in consequence of the concentration the competition would not be weaken but strengthen as the previously loss-making management of Atheneum would turn into an economical one which would make competition stronger.
The Competition Council authorised the transaction as the regulation of the Competition Act prescribes that the Office of Economic Competition may not refuse the authorisation of a concentration if it does not create or strengthen a dominant position, does not impede the formation, development or continuation of effective competition on the relevant market.
December 11, 1997. Budapest
dr. Bodócsi András sk.
Fógel Jánosné dr. sk.
dr. Kállai Mária sk.
Szabó Györgyi