The decision of the European Commission
Recently, the European Commission gave the green light to the acquisition of International Distribution Services (IDS), which controls Royal Mail of the United Kingdom, by EP Group, a.s. of the Czech Republic. This transaction has been evaluated in compliance with the EU Merger Regulation, which aims to ensure that mergers and acquisitions do not compromise competition in the European
market.
Analysis of the impact on the market
The Commission conducted an in-depth analysis of the impact of the acquisition, in particular in the Netherlands markets, where IDS operates through its subsidiary GLS and the DK Group through PostNL. According to the analysis, the acquisition does not raise significant concerns for several reasons. First, the two companies are not direct competitors, which reduces the risk of distortions in the market. In addition, there are sufficient alternatives to the services offered by the companies involved, thus ensuring that the market remains competitive and open to the entry of new operators
.
The context of the acquisition
It is interesting to note that EPCG, the company that acquires IDS, is part of the DK Group, controlled by the Czech entrepreneur Daniel Kretinsky. This link could lead to significant synergies in the postal services and small package delivery sectors, areas in which both companies are active. The Commission therefore considered that the transaction could lead to an improvement in the services offered to consumers, rather than to a reduction in competition
.
Other market news
In a wider context, the British Antitrust has launched an investigation into Google to assess the possibility of conferring it the status of strategic market importance. This investigation could lead to interventions to correct any distortions of competition in the Internet search and advertising services sectors. In addition, in November 2024, the seasonally adjusted index of Italian industrial production showed an increase of 0.3% compared to October, with significant growth in the energy and consumer goods sectors, although there was a decrease of 0.4% on a quarterly basis
.
Innovations in the banking sector
Another important news is the entry of Intesa Sanpaolo into the world of cryptocurrencies, with the purchase of 11 bitcoins worth about one million euros. This represents a historic step, being the first Italian bank to make a direct investment in cryptocurrencies. The news was confirmed by the institute after an initial leak on 4Chan, highlighting the growing interest of financial institutions in new technologies and the opportunities offered by cryptocurrencies
.