# C_2011092EN.01002401.xml

| 24.3.2011 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 92/24 |
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24.3.2011

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 92/24

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6085 — Costa Crociere/Alpitour/Welcome JV)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2011/C 92/14

| 1. | On 16 March 2011, 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 Costa Crociere SpA (‘Costa’, Italy), ultimately controlled by Carnival Corporation (Panama) & Carnival PLC (United Kingdom), and Alpitour SpA (‘Alpitour’, Italy) controlled by the Exor Group (Italy), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Welcome Travel Group SpA (‘Welcome’, Italy), currently controlled by Alpitour, by way of a purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 16 March 2011, 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 Costa Crociere SpA (‘Costa’, Italy), ultimately controlled by Carnival Corporation (Panama) & Carnival PLC (United Kingdom), and Alpitour SpA (‘Alpitour’, Italy) controlled by the Exor Group (Italy), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Welcome Travel Group SpA (‘Welcome’, Italy), currently controlled by Alpitour, by way of a purchase of shares.

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






  — | Costa operates cruise ships and provides cruises, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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Costa operates cruise ships and provides cruises,

| — | Alpitour is a tour operator and provides travel agency, air transport, hotels and destination services, |
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Alpitour is a tour operator and provides travel agency, air transport, hotels and destination services,

| — | Welcome operates a network of travel agencies in Italy. |
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Welcome operates a network of travel agencies in Italy.

| 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.6085 — Costa Crociere/Alpitour/Welcome JV, 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.6085 — Costa Crociere/Alpitour/Welcome JV, 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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