The foundation Cellitinnen zur heiligen Maria (“Cellitinnen Nord”) already abandoned its plans to acquire the foundation Cellitinnen Süd on December 17, 2018. Both foundations operate hospitals, medical centers and care facilities in Cologne. After an in-depth investigation that included, inter alia, the evaluation of more than 14 million case files and interviews with more than 200 physicians, the FCO arrived at the preliminary conclusion that the transaction would have strengthened Cellitinnen Nord’s single dominant position in the regional market for stationary hospital services in Northern Cologne along the left bank of the Rhine.[1]
[1] FCO Press Release, “Hospital operators in Schleswig-Holstein and Cologne withdraw merger notifications in two cases after Bundeskartellamt expresses concerns”, April 4, 2019, is available in English here. FCO Case Summary (B3-122/18), “Rücknahme der Fusionsanmeldung zweier Stiftungen von Cellitinnen in Köln”, April 4, 2019, is only available in German here.