The European General Court ruled on Wednesday that the European Commission acted lawfully in reviewing the Munhowen-Boissons Heintz merger, rejecting the Luxembourg beverage distributor’s appeal.
The court found Munhowen failed to promptly submit required documentation, justifying the Commission’s extended review period beyond the standard 15-day deadline.
This case marks the Commission’s first examination of a merger between regional companies with combined revenues below €130 million.
The probe began following a referral from Luxembourg’s Competition Authority, which itself acted on multiple third-party requests – including one from AB InBev, the global brewing conglomerate that owns Luxembourg’s Dikrecher beer brand.
At issue is whether the merger creates anti-competitive market dominance in Luxembourg’s beverage sector. Munhowen retains the right to appeal the decision to the European Court of Justice within two months.
