Certis Europe, K&N Efthymiadis seek nod for JV from Bulgarian anti-trust authority

Dutch-based Certis Europe and Greece's K. & N. Efthymiadis are seeking regulatory approval for their joint venture that will operate in several countries of Southeast Europe, including Bulgaria, the Bulgarian competition authority has said.
 

The joint venture company, KNE Certis, will trade in crop protection products, chemical fertilisers and seeds on the markets of Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Macedonia, the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) announced on its website last week.
 

Thessaloniki-based K. & N. Efthymiadis specializes in the development, production and distribution of plant protection products and fertilisers. The company already operates in Bulgaria through a wholly owned subsidiary, K. & N. Efthymiadis Bulgaria, the CPC said.
 

Maarssen-headquartered Certis Europe, formerly known as ProAgro, is specializing in the distribution and sale of crop protection products. It has no subsidiaries operating on the Bulgarian market.
 

The formation of the joint venture company was first announced on Certis’ website last month. The main aim of KNE Certis is to bring the experience, expertise and resources of both companies to the development, registration, marketing and distribution of crop protection products in Southeast Europe, Certis said.
 

The joint venture will also operate on the markets of other countries of the former Yugoslavia, as well as Moldova, Albania and Cyprus, Certis said. The company has taken an initial shareholding of 30% in the joint venture with an intention to increase its shareholding in the future.