# C_2010147EN.01002301.xml

| 5.6.2010 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 147/23 |
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5.6.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 147/23

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5838 — Bertelsmann/Planeta/Círculo)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2010/C 147/09

| 1. | On 31 May 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 Media Finance Holding SL controlled by Bertelsmann AG (‘Bertelsmann’, Germany) and Editorial Planeta SA controlled by Planeta Corporación SRL (‘Planeta’, Spain) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Círculo de Lectores SA (‘Círculo’, Spain) by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture. |
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1.

On 31 May 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 Media Finance Holding SL controlled by Bertelsmann AG (‘Bertelsmann’, Germany) and Editorial Planeta SA controlled by Planeta Corporación SRL (‘Planeta’, Spain) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Círculo de Lectores SA (‘Círculo’, 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:






  — | for Bertelsmann: TV, book publishing, magazine publishing, music rights management, distance selling, media services and media clubs, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Bertelsmann: TV, book publishing, magazine publishing, music rights management, distance selling, media services and media clubs,

| — | for Planeta: production of cultural, news, educational and entertainment content for the Spanish and French speaking markets, |
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for Planeta: production of cultural, news, educational and entertainment content for the Spanish and French speaking markets,

| — | for Círculo: book club. |
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for Círculo: book club.

| 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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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.

| 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.5838 — Bertelsmann/Planeta/Círculo, 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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5838 — Bertelsmann/Planeta/Círculo, 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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