# C_2004278EN.01002301.xml

| 13.11.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 278/23 |
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13.11.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 278/23

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3178 — BERTELSMANN/SPRINGER/JV)

(2004/C 278/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

| 1. | On 4 November 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 Bertelsmann AG (‘Bertelsmann’, Germany), its solely controlled subsidiary Gruner+Jahr AG & Co. KG (‘G+J’, Germany), and Axel Springer AG (‘Springer’, Germany), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking NewCo (‘NewCo’, Germany) by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture. |
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1.

On 4 November 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 Bertelsmann AG (‘Bertelsmann’, Germany), its solely controlled subsidiary Gruner+Jahr AG & Co. KG (‘G+J’, Germany), and Axel Springer AG (‘Springer’, Germany), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking NewCo (‘NewCo’, Germany) 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 Bertelsmann: television, radio, music, publishing, printing and media services, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Bertelsmann: television, radio, music, publishing, printing and media services,

| — | for G + J: publishing, printing, distribution of newspapers and magazines, |
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for G + J: publishing, printing, distribution of newspapers and magazines,

| — | for Springer: publishing, printing and distribution of newspapers and magazines, |
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for Springer: publishing, printing and distribution of newspapers and magazines,

| — | for NewCo: rotogravure printing and other related services. |
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for NewCo: rotogravure printing and other related services.

| 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.3178 — Bertelsmann/Springer/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.3178 — Bertelsmann/Springer/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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