Hengeler Mueller advises Austrian Airlines on takeover by Lufthansa

The European Commission today cleared, under the EC Merger Regulation, the acquisition by Deutsche Lufthansa AG of shares in Austrian Airlines AG held by state-owned Österreichische Industrieholding AG (ÖIAG). In parallel state aid proceedings, the Commission also approved, in terms of restructuring aid, a € 500 million contribution by ÖIAG in favour of Austrian Airlines. Both proceedings had to contend with numerous complaints from competitors.

Hengeler Mueller advised Austrian Airlines on both the merger control and state aid proceedings. The Hengeler Mueller team included partners Hans-Jörg Niemeyer (Competition, Brussels) and Markus Röhrig (Competition, Düsseldorf) as well as associates Christoph Herrmann, Dirk Hamann (both Brussels) and Malte Rosenberg (Düsseldorf).