# C_2010254EN.01000401.xml

| 22.9.2010 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 254/4 |
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22.9.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 254/4

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5948 — Banco Santander/Rainbow)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2010/C 254/05

| 1. | On 10 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 undertaking Banco Santander SA (‘Banco Santander’, Spain) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of parts of the undertaking The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (‘Rainbow’, UK) by way of purchase of assets. |
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1.

On 10 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 undertaking Banco Santander SA (‘Banco Santander’, Spain) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of parts of the undertaking The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (‘Rainbow’, UK) by way of purchase of assets.

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






  — | for Banco Santander: parent company of an international group of banking and financial companies operating in the UK, Spain and some other European countries, as well as in Latin America, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Banco Santander: parent company of an international group of banking and financial companies operating in the UK, Spain and some other European countries, as well as in Latin America,

| — | for Rainbow: retail banking and banking services to SMEs and other corporate customers in the UK. |
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for Rainbow: retail banking and banking services to SMEs and other corporate customers in the UK.

| 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.5948 — Banco Santander/Rainbow, 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.5948 — Banco Santander/Rainbow, 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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