The Competition Council of Latvia has granted permission to AS Infortar to acquire a decisive influence over AS Tallink Group, two companies operating in the energy, shipping, real estate, and high-quality cruise and passenger transport services markets in the Baltic Sea region.

The companies involved in the merger operate in vertically related markets of real estate leasing, hotel management, and accommodation services.

After evaluating the information provided by the companies and available to the Competition Council, it was concluded that the merger would not significantly alter market structure, reduce competition, or establish a dominant position in the mentioned markets in Latvia, hence the merger is permissible.

To prevent a substantial decrease in competition resulting from mergers, transactions meeting the criteria set out in the Competition Law require approval from the Competition Council, ensuring state control over market concentration to avoid limiting consumer choices or purchasing goods and services at non-competitive prices.