The Spanish Competition Authority authorises the acquisition of the second operator by the first operator in the Spanish market for bus transport (National Express Group / Continental Auto)

On 16 May 2007 National Express Group PLC (NEG), the first regular bus transport service provider in Spain, notified the former Spanish first-tier competition authority (Servicio de Defensa de la Competencia, SDC) of the acquisition of control over Continental Auto SLU (Continental Auto), the second company in the market (the Transaction). Considering the significant structural effects of the Transaction on the market, the SDC decided to recommend the opening of second phase proceedings and the Spanish Ministry of the Economy referred the file to the former Spanish second-tier competition