Press Release: Mergers: Commission clears ‘New Eurostar’ joint venture, subject to conditions

The European Commission approved on 17 June 2010, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed creation of the 'New Eurostar' joint venture by the French incumbent railway operator SNCF and London Continental Railways (LCR) of the UK. The Commission's decision is conditional upon commitments facilitating the entry of new rail operators on the London-Brussels and London-Paris routes. The Commission has concluded that the transaction, as modified by these commitments, would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.