The European Commission has refused a request from Portugal, later backed by Spain and Italy, to take over the competition review of Vanderlande’s acquisition of Siemens Logistics.
The deal involves Siemens Logistics GmbH of Germany being acquired by Vanderlande Industries B.V. of the Netherlands, and covers airport logistics services, particularly baggage handling, the Commission said in a statement on Wednesday.
It added the transaction does not meet the EU Merger Regulation’s notification thresholds — the turnover-based limits that determine whether a deal must be reviewed at EU level.
Germany’s competition authority was initially asked to approve the transaction in 2024, but a later restructuring meant Germany no longer had jurisdiction.
The transaction was then notified to Spain’s competition authority on 6 March 2026 and to Portugal’s on 20 March 2026.
Why the EU declined to take the case
The Commission said the available information suggests the deal could affect trade between EU member states.
However, it said an EU-level referral under Article 22 — a mechanism allowing member states to ask the Commission to review deals that do not meet EU thresholds — was not appropriate because the transaction has already been implemented for more than a year.
Portugal and Spain’s competition authorities will continue reviewing the acquisition, and they are “well equipped” to do so, the Commission said.
