The owners of Gadu-Gadu messenger and Radio Zet have been given a consent to create one joint undertaking; Central European Tour Operator may take over Orbis Travel, Costa Limited may acquire Coffeeheaven and Altus TFI - Progress FIZAN. The President of UOKiK has decided that the transactions shall not impede competition in Poland.

The first concentration consisted in creating one joint undertaking by GG Network and Eurozet. GG Network owns Gadu-Gadu messenger, and a number of social networking and entertainment services, including Open FM, an online radio. It is part of the Naspers group which owns 600 companies worldwide, including Allegro in Poland. Another participant of the concentration is Eurozet, consisting i.a. of the following radio stations: Radio Zet, Antyradio and Planeta FM. Eurozet is part of Lagardere group and the undertakings owned by the group operate in the publishing and audiovisual sectors. The newly-created undertaking will render services enabling listening to music online.

The second decision relates to a consent granted for the purchase of 95% of Orbis Travel’s shares by Central European Tour Operator (CETO). One of Orbis Travel’s activities is organising and managing tourist services, and the company is controlled by Orbis SA. Both undertakings belong to the Accor group providing a wide range of tourist, hotel and catering services. CETO belongs to the Polish Enterprise Fund, an investment fund group, dealing with investments in various industrial sectors as well as in trade and services, including tourist services.

Another concentration consisted in the acquisition of Coffeeheaven by Costa Limited. The undertakings own cafe chains. In Poland, Costa is a franchisor of Costa Coffee, a cafe chain, whereas Coffeeheaven operates in Poland through its subsidiary – CHI Polska.

In addition, Altus TFI has obtained a consent to take over Progress FIZAN. The participants of the concentration operate in the investment fund and investment fund management sectors.

Having carried out the antitrust proceedings, the President of UOKiK decided that implementing the concentrations shall not cause a significant impediment to competition in Poland.

Under the existing regulations, a transaction is subject to a notification to the antitrust authority if the combined worldwide turnover of undertakings participating in the concentration in the financial year preceding the year of the notification exceeds the equivalent of EUR 1 000 000 000, or EUR 50 000 000 in Poland.

We would also like to inform that since May 2009, information on all antitrust proceedings related to mergers and acquisitions carried out by UOKiK, has been available at the Office’s website.

Additional information the media:
Małgorzata Cieloch, Spokesperson for UOKiK
Department of International Relations and Communication
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warsaw, Poland
Phone: (+48 22) 827 28 92, 55 60 106, 55 60 430
faks (+48 22) 826 11 86
E-mail: malgorzata.cieloch@uokik.gov.pl