# C_2008024EN.01001501.xml

| 29.1.2008 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 24/15 |
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29.1.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 24/15

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5052 — INEOS/BP VAM & EtAc Business)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 24/09)

| 1. | On 22 January 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which INEOS Europe Limited (‘INEOS Europe’, United Kingdom) belonging to the INEOS group (‘INEOS’, United Kingdom) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of part of BP plc (‘BP’, United Kingdom) active in vinyl acetate monomer (‘VAM’) and ethyl acetate (‘EtAc’) (‘the Business’, United Kingdom) by way of purchase of assets. |
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1.

On 22 January 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which INEOS Europe Limited (‘INEOS Europe’, United Kingdom) belonging to the INEOS group (‘INEOS’, United Kingdom) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of part of BP plc (‘BP’, United Kingdom) active in vinyl acetate monomer (‘VAM’) and ethyl acetate (‘EtAc’) (‘the Business’, United Kingdom) by way of purchase of assets.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






  — | for INEOS Europe: manufacture and sale of specialty and intermediate chemicals, mainly in Europe, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for INEOS Europe: manufacture and sale of specialty and intermediate chemicals, mainly in Europe,

| — | for INEOS: global manufacture and sale of specialty and intermediate chemicals, |
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for INEOS: global manufacture and sale of specialty and intermediate chemicals,

| — | for the Business: manufacture and sale of VAM and EtAc compounds, |
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for the Business: manufacture and sale of VAM and EtAc compounds,

| — | for BP: a global vertically integrated energy and petrochemical company. |
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for BP: a global vertically integrated energy and petrochemical company.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

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| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5052 — INEOS/BP VAM & EtAc Business, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| J-70 |
| B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5052 — INEOS/BP VAM & EtAc Business, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.

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