# C_2008284EN.01000301.xml

| 8.11.2008 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 284/3 |
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8.11.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 284/3

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5372 — Société Générale/la Caixa/JV)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 284/03)

| 1. | On 31 October 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Société Générale (‘Société Générale’, France), acting through its affiliate Boursorama SA (‘Boursorama’, France) and Caixa d'Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona ‘la Caixa’ (‘la Caixa’), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of a joint venture (‘the JV’, Spain), by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture. |
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1.

On 31 October 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Société Générale (‘Société Générale’, France), acting through its affiliate Boursorama SA (‘Boursorama’, France) and Caixa d'Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona ‘la Caixa’ (‘la Caixa’), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of a joint venture (‘the JV’, Spain), by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.

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






  — | for Société Générale: major financial services group, operating in 82 countries, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Société Générale: major financial services group, operating in 82 countries,

| — | for Boursorama: online retail banking and brokerage services in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain, |
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for Boursorama: online retail banking and brokerage services in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain,

| — | for la Caixa: a major retail and savings bank in Spain, |
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for la Caixa: a major retail and savings bank in Spain,

| — | for the JV: provision of on-line banking services in Spain. |
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for the JV: provision of on-line banking services in Spain.

| 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.5372 — Société Générale/la Caixa/JV, to the following address:





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

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.5372 — Société Générale/la Caixa/JV, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

B-1049 Bruxelles

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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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