EU Awaits Lufthansa's AUA Offer Details

Lufthansa has yet to provide details of fresh antitrust concessions to sooth EU regulatory concerns over its plan to buy Austrian Airlines (AUA), the European Commission said Monday.

Lufthansa had submitted a new proposal to the Commission, which regulates competition in the 27 country European Union, Thursday as it moves towards a self-imposed July 31 deadline to seal the deal.

"I can confirm the Commission has had technical discussions with Lufthansa over the weekend, and is still awaiting clarification from Lufthansa concerning its offer of 16 July," Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd told a daily briefing.

He added later that the Commission had no plan to decide this week on whether to clear the proposed takeover.

He told the briefing that Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes had offered to meet Lufthansa CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber in Brussels on Monday and was still waiting for a reply.

"As of today, midday, he still has not indicated his intention in this regard," Todd said.

Lufthansa has taken a tough line with the Commission and the Austrian government, offering new concessions only after Austrian Airlines approved plans for another savings program.