Merger Notification - Announcement according to § 10 Cartel Act
Dr. Mathias Döpfner; Axel Springer SE
BWB/Z-6869
On 28.02.2025 the Austrian Federal Competition Authority was notified of the following merger:
Planned purchase process
The shareholders of Axel Springer SE (Germany) intend to reorganize the corporate structure of Axel Springer SE and to split the business activities between the news media businesses and the so-called classifieds businesses. As part of the restructuring, Dr. Mathias Döpfner (Germany) intends to acquire the majority of the voting rights in and sole control over Axel Springer SE in its restructured form (i.e. over the news media businesses). The concentration concerns the distribution of print and digital media as well as online advertising
C - MANUFACTURING C 18 - Printing and reproduction of recorded media, C 18.11 - Printing of newspapers, K - TELECOMMUNICATION, COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, CONSULTING, COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER INFORMATION SERVICE ACTIVITIES, N - PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES, N 73 - Activities of advertising, market research and public relations, N 73.1 - Advertising
Deadline for bringing in an application pursuant to § 11(1) Cartel Act will end on 28.03.2025.
Entrepreneurs whose legal or economic interests are affected by the merger can bring in a written statement at the Federal Competition Authority or the Federal Cartel Prosecutor within 14 days from publication date.
Note: The intervening party has no right to a certain treatment of the statement and will not gain a party position.
Non-prohibition of the merger
The Federal Competition Authority and the Federal Cartel Prosecutor have not applied for examination of the merger by the Cartel Court. The standstill obligation (§ 17 (1) Cartel Act) ends with effect from 29.03.2025 .