The KP included in its investigation of the case, evaluating the conditions of competition in the affected markets – local, Riga City and Latvia as a whole, that several competitors, or other service stations, operate in these markets. Moreover, the market shares of the merging parties in those markets are lower than those of competitors.
For the most part, there is no direct overlap between the activities of the merging parties within the same highway or the impact of overlap is negligible. Consequently, the KP concluded that the merger would not have significant effects on most of the relevant markets considered.
The KP found that the merger would negatively reduce competition only in the retail fuel market in Rūjiena, so Aqua Marina withdrew the intention to purchase the service station in this city and the merger was allowed.
