Competition regulator to analyse possible Sonae merger with NOS

Sonae SGPS has notified the Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) of the merger resulting from the sole control over NOS and, indirectly, NOS Comunicações. Sonae, the parent company of the Sonae Group, controlled by Efanor Investimentos, the holding company of Belmiro de Azevedo’s heirs, operates in the food and non-food distribution, real estate, financial services, electronic communications and information technology sectors.NOS develops electronic communications, audiovisual and information technology services. The regulator will now analyse whether to give the merger a ‘green light’ or to oppose it, depending on whether or not it is likely to create significant impediments to effective competition in the domestic market or in a substantial part of it.