The Commission for Protection of Competition has announced it has permitted Delhaize from Belgium to buy 100 percent of the Delta Maxi retail chain, since that does not limit, harm or obstruct competition in Serbia.

The commission determined that Delhaize would boost the business of a number of home companies that supply the chain and that it would not be limited to the Serbian market, but would also refer to Delhaize subsidiaries outside the country, according to the announcement.

The Delhaize Group and Delta Holding signed the sale contract in Belgrade March 3. Delhaize will pay EUR 932.5 million for Delta Maxi and also take over EUR 300 million of its debt.

The Belgian company requested that the commission speed up the procedure in deciding on Delhaize's bid to take over Delta Maxi. The commission rejected that April 21, announcing it would investigate whether the purchase harmed competition in Serbia.

The commission stated that direct control over Delta Maxi gave indirect control over companies that are part of the chain, like C Market, Pekabeta, Primer C, TP Srbija, Zvezdara, Bel Investment Property and TP Stadel.

According to the documents Delhaize sent to the commission, its market share after the concentration would remain the same as Delta Maxi's, that is 37.2 percent in Belgrade and 22.4 in Serbia.

According to national regulations on protection of competition, market concentration is allowed unless it limits, harms or obstructs competition, particularly if the harm came as a result of a company's dominant position on the market.