The Commerce Commission has received an application from ST Cigar Group Holding BV (STCGH) seeking clearance to acquire all of the shares in a Dutch company, Schimmelpenninck and through STCGH's Dutch subsidiary company Henri Wintermans Cigars BV, the cigar trademarks owned by the Belgian company Tabacofina - Vander Elst N.V. (TVE) that are registered in New Zealand, Australia and Portugal.

STCGH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni A/S (ST). ST is the parent entity of the ST Group of companies which manufacture and supply tobacco products internationally.

TVE and Schimmelpenninck are indirect subsidiaries of British American Tobacco Plc (BAT) that are active in cigars. BAT and its subsidiaries (BAT Group) form one of the world's largest tobacco groups.

In considering the application, the Commission's role is to determine whether the acquisition would have, or would be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in one or more markets.

A public version of the application will shortly be available on the Commission's website www.comcom.govt.nz under the Clearances Register