Competition regulators in the European Commission are comparing notes with their counterparts in South Africa and elsewhere over the potential impact of AP Moller-Maersk’s bid for P&O Nedlloyd, officials confirmed today.

Talks with third countries that have shipping services to Europe will form a background to the EU’s ruling on the legality of the takeover, which is due by 14 July.

South Africa has acknowledged it is looking into the merger independently, and Agence France-Presse today reported that authorities were ‘worried’ about the deal and the combined company’s market share, though it did not cite a source.

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