# C_2013206EN.01002201.xml

| 20.7.2013 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 206/22 |
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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6956 — Telefónica/CaixaBank/Banco Santander/JV)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2013/C 206/07

| 1. | On 11 July 2013, 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 Telefónica, SA (‘Telefónica’, Spain), CaixaBank, SA (‘CaixaBank’, Spain), controlled by La Caixa, Caja de Ahorros (‘La Caixa’, Spain) and Banco Santander, SA (‘Banco Santander’, Spain) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Newco (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:
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for Telefónica: international group active in the telecommunications sector that provides communication, information and entertainment solutions in a number of EU Member States as well as in a number of countries in Latin America, —
for CaixaBank: financial institution, —
for La Caixa: integrated financial group with banking, insurance, pension and investment fund activities, mainly in Spain, —
for Banco Santander: international banking and financial group active in retail banking, asset management, corporate and investment banking, treasury and insurance, —
for Newco: provision of a variety of services to businesses and consumers, such as advertising services to small and medium size merchants, communication of discounts, vouchers, offers and coupon redemption services to consumers, digital wallet services, and peer-to-peer payment services to consumers. | — | for Telefónica: international group active in the telecommunications sector that provides communication, information and entertainment solutions in a number of EU Member States as well as in a number of countries in Latin America, | — | for CaixaBank: financial institution, | — | for La Caixa: integrated financial group with banking, insurance, pension and investment fund activities, mainly in Spain, | — | for Banco Santander: international banking and financial group active in retail banking, asset management, corporate and investment banking, treasury and insurance, | — | for Newco: provision of a variety of services to businesses and consumers, such as advertising services to small and medium size merchants, communication of discounts, vouchers, offers and coupon redemption services to consumers, digital wallet services, and peer-to-peer payment services to consumers. |
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| — | for Telefónica: international group active in the telecommunications sector that provides communication, information and entertainment solutions in a number of EU Member States as well as in a number of countries in Latin America, | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | for CaixaBank: financial institution, | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | for La Caixa: integrated financial group with banking, insurance, pension and investment fund activities, mainly in Spain, | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | for Banco Santander: international banking and financial group active in retail banking, asset management, corporate and investment banking, treasury and insurance, | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | for Newco: provision of a variety of services to businesses and consumers, such as advertising services to small and medium size merchants, communication of discounts, vouchers, offers and coupon redemption services to consumers, digital wallet services, and peer-to-peer payment services to consumers. | | | | | | | | | | |

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. |
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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 22964301), by e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6956 — Telefónica/CaixaBank/Banco Santander/JV, to the following address:
European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË | European Commission | Directorate-General for Competition | Merger Registry | 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel | BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
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| European Commission | | | | | | |
| Directorate-General for Competition | | | | | | |
| Merger Registry | | | | | | |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel | | | | | | |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË | | | | | | |

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( 1 )  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘EC Merger Regulation’).

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