# C_2010245EN.01000401.xml

| 11.9.2010 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 245/4 |
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11.9.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 245/4

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5946 — Banco Popular/Crédit Mutuel/BPH)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2010/C 245/04

| 1. | On 3 September 2010, 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 Banco Popular Español (‘Banco Popular’, Spain) and Banque Fédérative du Crédit Mutuel (‘Crédit Mutuel’, France) acquire(s) within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the newly created joint venture Banco Popular Hipotecario (‘BPH’, Spain), by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 3 September 2010, 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 Banco Popular Español (‘Banco Popular’, Spain) and Banque Fédérative du Crédit Mutuel (‘Crédit Mutuel’, France) acquire(s) within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the newly created joint venture Banco Popular Hipotecario (‘BPH’, Spain), by way of purchase of shares.

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






  — | for Banco Popular: commercial and retail banking and insurance in Spain and Portugal, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Banco Popular: commercial and retail banking and insurance in Spain and Portugal,

| — | for Crédit Mutuel: retail banking and insurance in a number of EU Member States, including Spain and Portugal, |
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for Crédit Mutuel: retail banking and insurance in a number of EU Member States, including Spain and Portugal,

| — | for BPH: full range of retail banking and insurance services, as before implementation of the proposed transaction Banco Popular will transfer 123 branches of its branches in Spain to BPH. |
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for BPH: full range of retail banking and insurance services, as before implementation of the proposed transaction Banco Popular will transfer 123 branches of its branches in Spain to BPH.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation (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 the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation (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 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5946 — Banco Popular/Crédit Mutuel/BPH, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| J-70 |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

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 email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5946 — Banco Popular/Crédit Mutuel/BPH, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

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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(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).

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