(90)Directive 2004/25/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 april 2004 on takeover bids, sets out an obligation to launch a mandatory takeover bid on all shares of the company for the equitable price, as defined in the directive, if someone acquires, directly or indirectly and alone or in concert with others, a certain percentage of shares of that company, which gives him control of that company and is defined by national law.

Member States may decide not to apply paragraph 2 in the event of an increase in subscribed capital made in order to give effect to a merger, a division or a public offer for the purchase or exchange of shares and to pay the shareholders of the company which is being absorbed or divided or which is the object of the public offer for the purchase or exchange of shares.

Member States may decide not to apply paragraph 2 in the event of an increase in subscribed capital made in order to give effect to a merger, a division or a public offer for the purchase or exchange of shares and to pay the shareholders of the company which is being absorbed or divided or which is the object of the public offer for the purchase or exchange of shares.

In relation to the fact that Lufthansa will pay a price for the free-float shares that differs from that paid for ÖIAG’s stake, the Commission notes that public takeovers of companies quoted on the Austrian stock exchange are governed by the Takeover Act, which is implemented by the Takeover Commission.

Since the objectives of the action envisaged, namely to establish minimum guidelines for the conduct of takeover bids and ensure an adequate level of protection for holders of securities throughout the Community, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States because of the need for transparency and legal certainty in the case of cross-border takeovers and acquisitions of control, and can therefore, by reason of the scale and effects of the action, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty.

Since the objectives of the action envisaged, namely to establish minimum guidelines for the conduct of takeover bids and ensure an adequate level of protection for holders of securities throughout the Community, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States because of the need for transparency and legal certainty in the case of cross-border takeovers and acquisitions of control, and can therefore, by reason of the scale and effects of the action, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty.