# C_2005105EN.01002801.xml

| 30.4.2005 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 105/28 |
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30.4.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 105/28

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3740 — Barclays Bank/Föreningssparbanken/JV)

(2005/C 105/09)

(Text with EEA relevance)

| 1. | On 26 April 2005, 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 Barclays Bank plc (‘Barclays’, UK), belonging to the Barclays group, and FöreningsSparbanken AB (‘FSB’, Sweden) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking Mandab Holding AB (‘Mandab’, Sweden) by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture. |
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1.

On 26 April 2005, 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 Barclays Bank plc (‘Barclays’, UK), belonging to the Barclays group, and FöreningsSparbanken AB (‘FSB’, Sweden) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking Mandab Holding AB (‘Mandab’, Sweden) 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 Barclays: provision of banking, investment banking and investment management worldwide, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Barclays: provision of banking, investment banking and investment management worldwide,

| — | for FSB: provision of financial services to private and commercial customers mainly in Sweden, |
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for FSB: provision of financial services to private and commercial customers mainly in Sweden,

| — | for Mandab: issuing of credit cards, mainly in Sweden and Norway. |
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for Mandab: issuing of credit cards, mainly in Sweden and Norway.

| 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) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.3740 — Barclays Bank/Föreningssparbanken/JV, to the following address:





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

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) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.3740 — Barclays Bank/Föreningssparbanken/JV, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition,

Merger Registry

J-70

B-1049 Brussels

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

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