Judgment of the General Court of 7 June 2013 – Spar Österreichische Warenhandels v Commission
(Case T-405/08) 1
(Competition – Concentrations – Markets for everyday consumer goods – Decision declaring the concentration compatible with the internal market – Commitments – Manifest error of assessment – Right to be heard – Duty to state reasons)
Language of the case: German
Parties
Applicant: Spar Österreichische Warenhandels AG (Salzburg, Austria) (represented initially by A.-H. Bischke, S. Brack and D. Bräunlich, then by A.-H. Bischke and D. Bräunlich, lawyers)
Defendant: European Commission (represented initially by S. Noë, N. von Lingen and O. Weber, then by S. Noë and N. von Lingen, agents, and by M. Buntscheck, lawyer)
Intervener in support of the defendant : Billa AG (Wiener Neudorf, Austria) (represented by H. Wollmann, G. Drauz and F. Urlesberger, lawyers)
Re:
Application for annulment of the Commission Decision of 23 June 2008 declaring the merger whereby Billa AG acquired sole control of Adeg österreich Handels AG compatible with the common market (Case COMP/M.5047 – REWE/ADEG), subject to the proposed commitments being met, pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) and (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 of 20 January 2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (OJ 2004 L 24, p. 1).
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the action;
Orders Spar Österreichische Warenhandels AG to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission and Billa AG.
____________1 OJ C 6, 10.1.2009.