p&o merger referred to competition commission

P&O PRINCESS CRUISES’ proposed merger with Royal Caribbean is to be referred to the Competition Commission.

According to the Ananova website, the commission is to investigate the plan and report back by May 20.

Trade secretary Patricia Hewitt said: “The Director General of Fair Trading has advised me that there remain sufficient competition concerns surrounding this merger to warrant a reference to the Competition Commission. I have carefully considered the DGFT’s advice and agree with his conclusions.