including
Etihad's stakes in
Airberlin (now at 29.21 percent) and
Darwin Airline (now Etihad Regional, in which a 33.3 percent stake is held), and
Delta Air Lines' 49 percent
stake in Virgin Atlantic. Also under investigation
are Korean Air Lines' 44 percent share of Czech Airlines and a Chinese
investment in a cargo carrier. Under EU law, EU citizens or governments not
only must own more than 50 percent of an EU airline, they must also
"effectively control" it, though there is no fixed definition for effective
control. The Commission asked relevant member states to explain how the investments
they cleared comply with EU rules on ownership and control. Separately, the
Commission indicated it is monitoring Etihad's
potential acquisition of a
substantial shareholding in Alitalia.