The marriage between ITA Airways and Lufthansa could soon be approved. The green light should arrive in the next few days, ahead of the deadline set for July 4th. The technical office of the European Competition Commission, led by Margrethe Vestager, is ready to approve the agreement reached between the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the German Group.

This is what some national and international media report, citing European officials close to the dossier as their source. The Mef-Lufthansa agreement provides for the privatization of 41% of the national carrier ITA through a capital increase of 325 million euros. The indiscretion confirms that the new package of sacrifices (sale of airport slots and Italy-Europe and Europe-North America routes) sent to Brussels in recent days would have convinced the European Commission. 

After a year of negotiations, the last issues that worried Europe regarding the protection of competition in the continental air transport market have been resolved. The Mef-Lufthansa agreement was signed in May 2023. Since then negotiations began to convince Brussels that the agreement would not create monopolies, dominant positions, less competition and higher prices on some flights and airports, in particular the airport "Enrico Forlanini" of Milan-Linate.

On the same topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.