According to ECO, Brisa notified the Competition Authority (AdC) of the purchase of the 25% that the Ascendi group holds in Via Verde, with a view to holding the entire capital of the company.

“The concentration operation consists of the acquisition by Brisa – Auto Estradas de Portugal, SA (“Brisa”) of exclusive control of Via Verde Portugal – Gestão de Sistemas Electrónicos de Cobrança, SA (“Via Verde”)”, according to the process file published today on the Competition regulator’s website.

This week Brisa announced in a statement that it had reached an agreement with the Ascendi group to purchase the 25% it holds in Via Verde, thus becoming the company's entire share capital, stressing that the operation is subject to approval by the AdC and the Bank of Portugal.

Brisa had already purchased SIBS's stake in the company in 2021, leaving it only missing Ascendi's position to control Via Verde in its entirety. Ascendi's capital is controlled by Ardian, an independent private investment company based in France that manages assets in Europe, North America and Asia, Brisa recalled.

In the notice published this Thursday, the AdC states that the notification was received on 13 January and that “the observations” must be sent to the regulator within 10 working days from the publication of this notice.