With the approval of the EU Commission, Lufthansa may take over the Italian state-owned airline ITA Airways and thus grow in one of its most important markets. After lengthy negotiations, the EU competition regulator gave the green light on Wednesday for Lufthansa to acquire an initial 41 percent stake in the successor to Alitalia. Although the airline is currently doing well, its long-term existence as an independent airline is „highly uncertain“, the Commission said.