# C_2007054EN.01000301.xml

| 9.3.2007 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 54/3 |
| -------- | -- | -------------------------------------- | ------ |

---

Opinion of the Advisory Committee on concentrations given at its 143rd meeting on 28 July 2006 concerning a draft decision relating to Case COMP/M.4094 — Ineos/BP Dormagen

Rapporteur: France

(2007/C 54/04)

| 1. | The Advisory Committee agrees with the European Commission that the notified operation is a concentration in the sense of article 3(1)(b) of Council Regulation 139/2004. |
| -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| 2. | The Advisory Committee agrees that this operation has a Community dimension. |
| -- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| 3. | The Advisory Committee agrees with the Commission on the definition of the following relevant markets:
a.
For the purposes of this case, ethylene oxide constitutes a relevant product market only as to its distinction of purified EO. b.
It is not necessary to distinguish between the on-site (by pipeline) and the off-site (by rail or truck) supply of ethylene oxide as the results of the competitive analysis would not be modified. (One Member State abstains). c.
It is not necessary to further subdivide ethylene glycols according to the different types. d.
It is not necessary for the assessment of the merger to reach a conclusion on the exact geographic market for ethylene and ethylene oxide and that the geographic market for EGs is at least EEA-wide. | a. | For the purposes of this case, ethylene oxide constitutes a relevant product market only as to its distinction of purified EO. | b. | It is not necessary to distinguish between the on-site (by pipeline) and the off-site (by rail or truck) supply of ethylene oxide as the results of the competitive analysis would not be modified. (One Member State abstains). | c. | It is not necessary to further subdivide ethylene glycols according to the different types. | d. | It is not necessary for the assessment of the merger to reach a conclusion on the exact geographic market for ethylene and ethylene oxide and that the geographic market for EGs is at least EEA-wide. |
| -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| a. | For the purposes of this case, ethylene oxide constitutes a relevant product market only as to its distinction of purified EO. | | | | | | | | |
| b. | It is not necessary to distinguish between the on-site (by pipeline) and the off-site (by rail or truck) supply of ethylene oxide as the results of the competitive analysis would not be modified. (One Member State abstains). | | | | | | | | |
| c. | It is not necessary to further subdivide ethylene glycols according to the different types. | | | | | | | | |
| d. | It is not necessary for the assessment of the merger to reach a conclusion on the exact geographic market for ethylene and ethylene oxide and that the geographic market for EGs is at least EEA-wide. | | | | | | | | |

| 4. | The Advisory Committee shares the Commission's analysis that the operation should be authorised:
a.
In relation to ethylene oxide:
a.1.
Purified ethylene oxide merchant market is an affected market. a.2.
Competing undertakings are capable of increasing their production should the combined entity raise prices unilaterally. (One Member State abstains). a.3.
The forecast development of capacities will be such as to reinforce the current excess capacity and will enable competitors to respond to any risk of price increases on the part of the combined entity. a.4.
As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene oxide. b.
In relation to ethylene glycol:
b.1.
The combined entity will not have a dominant position on this market. b.2.
As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene glycol. c.
In relation to vertical integration:
c.1.
The upstream market for ethylene used for the production of ethylene oxide is not affected by the operation. c.2.
The other downstream markets for ethylene oxide derivatives (excluding ethylene glycols) are not affected by the operation. | a. | In relation to ethylene oxide:
a.1.
Purified ethylene oxide merchant market is an affected market. a.2.
Competing undertakings are capable of increasing their production should the combined entity raise prices unilaterally. (One Member State abstains). a.3.
The forecast development of capacities will be such as to reinforce the current excess capacity and will enable competitors to respond to any risk of price increases on the part of the combined entity. a.4.
As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene oxide. | a.1. | Purified ethylene oxide merchant market is an affected market. | a.2. | Competing undertakings are capable of increasing their production should the combined entity raise prices unilaterally. (One Member State abstains). | a.3. | The forecast development of capacities will be such as to reinforce the current excess capacity and will enable competitors to respond to any risk of price increases on the part of the combined entity. | a.4. | As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene oxide. | b. | In relation to ethylene glycol:
b.1.
The combined entity will not have a dominant position on this market. b.2.
As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene glycol. | b.1. | The combined entity will not have a dominant position on this market. | b.2. | As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene glycol. | c. | In relation to vertical integration:
c.1.
The upstream market for ethylene used for the production of ethylene oxide is not affected by the operation. c.2.
The other downstream markets for ethylene oxide derivatives (excluding ethylene glycols) are not affected by the operation. | c.1. | The upstream market for ethylene used for the production of ethylene oxide is not affected by the operation. | c.2. | The other downstream markets for ethylene oxide derivatives (excluding ethylene glycols) are not affected by the operation. |
| ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| a. | In relation to ethylene oxide:
a.1.
Purified ethylene oxide merchant market is an affected market. a.2.
Competing undertakings are capable of increasing their production should the combined entity raise prices unilaterally. (One Member State abstains). a.3.
The forecast development of capacities will be such as to reinforce the current excess capacity and will enable competitors to respond to any risk of price increases on the part of the combined entity. a.4.
As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene oxide. | a.1. | Purified ethylene oxide merchant market is an affected market. | a.2. | Competing undertakings are capable of increasing their production should the combined entity raise prices unilaterally. (One Member State abstains). | a.3. | The forecast development of capacities will be such as to reinforce the current excess capacity and will enable competitors to respond to any risk of price increases on the part of the combined entity. | a.4. | As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene oxide. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| a.1. | Purified ethylene oxide merchant market is an affected market. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| a.2. | Competing undertakings are capable of increasing their production should the combined entity raise prices unilaterally. (One Member State abstains). | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| a.3. | The forecast development of capacities will be such as to reinforce the current excess capacity and will enable competitors to respond to any risk of price increases on the part of the combined entity. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| a.4. | As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene oxide. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| b. | In relation to ethylene glycol:
b.1.
The combined entity will not have a dominant position on this market. b.2.
As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene glycol. | b.1. | The combined entity will not have a dominant position on this market. | b.2. | As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene glycol. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| b.1. | The combined entity will not have a dominant position on this market. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| b.2. | As a result the operation will not affect competition on the market for ethylene glycol. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| c. | In relation to vertical integration:
c.1.
The upstream market for ethylene used for the production of ethylene oxide is not affected by the operation. c.2.
The other downstream markets for ethylene oxide derivatives (excluding ethylene glycols) are not affected by the operation. | c.1. | The upstream market for ethylene used for the production of ethylene oxide is not affected by the operation. | c.2. | The other downstream markets for ethylene oxide derivatives (excluding ethylene glycols) are not affected by the operation. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| c.1. | The upstream market for ethylene used for the production of ethylene oxide is not affected by the operation. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| c.2. | The other downstream markets for ethylene oxide derivatives (excluding ethylene glycols) are not affected by the operation. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 5. | The Advisory Committee agrees with the Commission that as a result the proposed operation would not significantly impede effective competition in the common market or in a substantial part of it and can therefore be declared compatible in the sense of articles 2(2) et 8(1) of Council Regulation 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings and the EEA agreement. |
| -- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

---