# C_2004256EN.01000201.xml

| 16.10.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 256/2 |
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16.10.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 256/2

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3464 — KESKO/ICA/JV)

(2004/C 256/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

| 1. | On 8 October 2004, 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 Kesko Food Ltd. (‘Kesko’, Finland), belonging to the Kesko Group (Finland), and ICA Baltic AB (‘ICA’, Sweden), belonging to ICA Group (Sweden), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of a newly created company constituting a joint venture (‘the JV’), by way of transfer of shares. |
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1.

On 8 October 2004, 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 Kesko Food Ltd. (‘Kesko’, Finland), belonging to the Kesko Group (Finland), and ICA Baltic AB (‘ICA’, Sweden), belonging to ICA Group (Sweden), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of a newly created company constituting a joint venture (‘the JV’), by way of transfer of shares.

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






  — | for Kesko: wholesaling and retailing of daily consumer goods mainly in Finland, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Kesko: wholesaling and retailing of daily consumer goods mainly in Finland,

| — | for ICA: wholesaling and retailing of daily consumer goods mainly in Sweden and Norway, and |
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for ICA: wholesaling and retailing of daily consumer goods mainly in Sweden and Norway, and

| — | for the JV: procurement and retail of daily consumer goods in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. |
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for the JV: procurement and retail of daily consumer goods in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

| 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. |
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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.

| 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 (No +32/2/2964301 or 2967244) or by post, under reference number COMP/M. 3464 — Kesko/ICA/JV, 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 (No +32/2/2964301 or 2967244) or by post, under reference number COMP/M. 3464 — Kesko/ICA/JV, 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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