EU seeks Italian justification for veto of Autostrade-Abertis merger

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2006

BRUSSELS (AFP) — The European Commission is awaiting justification for Rome's decision to block the planned merger between toll road operators Autostrade and Abertis, a spokesman has said.

"We are not aware of what grounds they have chosen to block under, so we are waiting to find out," spokesman Michael Mann told journalists.

Last week, Italy's centre-left government blocked the proposed 25-billion-euro (32-billion-dollar) merger of the two companies because the deal was deemed "not compatible" with Rome's concession agreement with the Italian firm.

As the EU's competition watchdog, the European Commission usually bears responsibility for approving or blocking big cross-border deals.

"We believe that in cases with community dimension, it should be...