UK regulator says has jurisdiction to rule in Eurotunnel case

LONDON, March 21 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator said on Friday it did believe it has jurisdiction to rule on competition issues in the case of French transport firm Groupe (Other OTC: GROPF - news) Eurotunnel (Paris: FR0010533075 - news) 's operation of ferries between Calais and Dover (Berlin: DOV.BE - news) .

The Competition Commission said it would make a final decision on whether Eurotunnel's acquisition and subsequent operation of ferries breached competition rules in early May.

Last year it banned Eurotunnel, which operates the undersea rail link between Britain and France, from docking its ferries at Dover for two years, citing concerns the company would dominate the Channel crossing with over half the market.

But Eurotunnel appealed against the ruling and the Competition Commission said in December it would assess whether it had jurisdiction to review the matter.

As well as Eurotunnel, which operates its vessels under the MyFerryLink brand, Danish ferry operator DFDS Seaways and P&O Ferries also run boats on the Dover-Calais crossing, competing against the rail link for freight and passengers. (Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by James Davey)