AGCM

PRESS RELEASE

 GEMINA-ATLANTIA: GO-AHEAD FROM THE ANTITRUST IN LIGHT OF METHODS CHOSEN FOR TENDERING PROCEDURES IN AIRPORT CATERING

If the operation turns out to be different it will be re-evaluated by the Authority.

Go ahead for the merger by incorporation of Gemina into Atlantia. The Antitrust Authority decided this at its meeting on 09^th May in view of the methods that will be used by the Airports of Rome in arranging the tender for the restaurant management in the Fiumicino and Ciampino airports.

For the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, the procedures communicated constitute an integral part of the operation and are suitable to contain the capacity of AdR to preclude market access to competitors of Autogrill. Any modification that involves assigning sub-concessions with methods and terms different from those proposed will cause the need for a new evaluation of the operation.

For the Authority, the merger resolves the substitution of one operator by another in relation to the management of airport facilities and ground-handling services, but has vertical effects in two markets: travel retail and catering.

In the first, there is the presence of active operators at the global level (Adita, Dufry, Nuance Group, Gbr. Heinemann, etc.), of similar size, or even bigger than those of Autogrill and the subsidiary WDFG (World Duty Free Group); WDFG, also, is not present in the airports managed by AdR, while Autogrill is active only in two shops, both in Fiumicino.

The airport restaurant structure where Autogrill is present through its refreshment outlets in both Fiumicino and Ciampino is different.

The procedures for the award of sub-concessions, such as communicated by Atlantia guarantee the Antitrust equal access and non-discrimination to the competitors of Autogrill. The duration of the assignments will also be limited to what is necessary to allow recovering the investments made.

Rome, 14^th May 2013