Brussels, April 24 - French dairy group Lactalis won European Commission permission on Monday to buy Italian cheesemaker Galbani from private equity group BC Partners, boosting its position as one of Europe's top dairy firms.
The European Union executive said that on completion of its market analysis, it concluded that "the operation would not significantly distort effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or in any substantial part of it."
Market leader Galbani, maker of Bel Paese cheese and Santa Lucia mozzarella, will strengthen family-owned Lactalis's presence in Italy, where it is already the number two cheese producer and has been frequently named as a potential suitor for dairy group Parmalat.
Lactalis's cheese brands include President and Societe.