The German Competition Authority clears a merger in the gas supply sector subject to remedies, including access to infrastructure, publication of prices and extraordinary rights to terminate agreements (Contigas / Stadtwerke Heide)

The operation On 30 May 2000 Contigas Deutsche Energie-Aktiengesellschaft (“Contigas”) notified the Bundeskartellamt of its proposed acquisition of 49% of the equity capital of Stadtwerke Heide GmbH (“Stadtwerke”) from Stadt Heide, its sole shareholder. Contigas is an energy supply company active in the supply of electricity, gas and water through associated companies primarily in Bavaria, Thuringia, parts of Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. The turnover of the Contigas group in 1998 was DM 4.4 billion. Contigas was part of the VIAG Group that merged with VEBA AG to form E.ON AG (“E.ON”). Stadtwerke supplies electricity, gas and water to the town of Heide (Schleswig-Holstein) as well as gas and water to a number of nearby communities. The current suppliers