The Commerce Commission has cleared ST Cigar Group Holding BV (ST Cigar Group) to acquire all of the shares in a Dutch company, Schimmelpenninck and through ST Cigar Group'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.

Commission Chair Paula Rebstock said that the Commission was satisfied that the proposed acquisition would not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in the cigar market in New Zealand.

ST Cigar Group 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 form one of the world's largest tobacco groups.

A public version of the written decision will be available as soon as practicable on the Commission's website, www.comcom.govt.nz, under the Clearances Register.