NMa Gives Conditional Approval to Wegener's Plans for Daily Newspapers in Zealand Flanders

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) has agreed conditionally to the plans of Wegener N.V. for cost savings at the daily newspaper BN/De Stem and Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant. Wegener is required to adhere to the decision taken by NMa in 2000 in relation to the takeover of VNU Dagbladen by Wegener. This means, for instance, that Wegener must guarantee the commercial and editorial independence of BN/De Stem and Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant. Wegener must also continue to distribute both publications in Zealand Flanders.

The cost savings that Wegener now wishes to implement do not detract from the fact that both newspapers must remain completely separate. Wegener wishes to achieve cost savings by transferring a number of facility services to a third company. The decision to outsource services to this company is a decision that has to be taken by the management boards of the two daily newspapers. The approval of the Supervisory Boards, which were set up by BN/De Stem and Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant following NMa's decision in 2000, is required for this decision. The management boards of the newspapers are obliged to present all decisions to the Supervisory Board, which may have an adverse effect on the financial position and independence of the daily newspapers of each other. Each of the daily newspapers will retain its own responsibility for determining its advertising and subscription tariffs.

To date NMa has assessed two acquisitions in the daily newspaper sector, namely the takeover of De Limburger by De Telegraaf and the takeover referred to above of VNU dagbladen by Wegener N.V.