Press Release: Mergers: Commission requests Spain to lift conditions imposed on acquisition of Endesa by Enel and Acciona

The European Commission formally requested Spain to comply with its decision adopted in December 2007 under Article 21 of the EU Merger Regulation to withdraw the conditions imposed by the Spanish Energy Regulator (CNE) and later modified by the Spanish Minister of Industry and Tourism on the acquisition of the Spanish energy company ENDESA by ENEL of Italy and ACCIONA of Spain. This merger was cleared by the Commission under the EU Merger Regulation in July 2007. In December 2007, the Commission concluded that the Spanish conditions were contrary to EU law and requested Spain to withdraw them by 10 January 2008. Spain did not comply with the decision and the Commission opened infringement proceedings.