JC Decaux Wants DB's Advertising Arm

JC Decaux, the French billboard advertiser, has asked German competition authorities to approve its plans to buy DERG, the advertising arm of the state-owned rail company, Deutsche Bahn, according to the Federal Cartel Office Web site on Monday. JC Decaux submitted an application to buy DERG to the competition watchdog on July 1, the Web site revealed. In addition to JC Decaux, Viacom and Wall are mooted as potential buyers of DERG, which markets advertising space in German railway stations, trains and other locations such as airports. It had sales of 124.6 million euros ($150 million) in 2004.