CMS advises on the merger of Kreissparkasse Steinfurt and Stadtsparkasse Rheine
Stuttgart – On 1 August 2026, Kreissparkasse Steinfurt and Stadtsparkasse Rheine merged. As a result of the merger, the combined balance sheet total of the two savings banks amounts to around 10 billion euros, making Kreissparkasse Steinfurt one of the top 40 savings banks in Germany. By combining their strengths in this way, the two savings banks can offer a broader range of adivsory services and enhanced financing options, putting them in an even stronger position to meet the challenges of a constantly changing financial world in the interests of their customers and local authority owners.
A CMS team led by partner Dr Harald Kahlenberg provided comprehensive advice on merger control law in connection with the savings bank merger. Dr Harald Kahlenberg and his team regularly advise on savings bank mergers. Special merger control issues arise in connection with what is known as the "regional principle", the determination of the relevant turnover of the owners of the savings banks when assessing the notification thresholds, and in case of a geographic overlap of branches.
The trend towards savings bank mergers has been continuing for several years. The reasons for this lie in the many challenges facing regional banks, such as digital transformation, changing customer needs and growing regulatory requirements.
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