PROTOCOL 24 on cooperation in the field of control of concentrations

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Article 1

1. The EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EC Commission shall exchange information and consult each other on general policy issues at the request of either of the surveillance authorities.

2. In cases falling under Article 57(2)(a), the EC Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority shall cooperate in the handling of concentrations as provided for in the provisions set out below.

3. For the purposes of this Protocol, the term 'territory of a surveillance authority` shall mean for the EC Commission the territory of the EC Member States to which the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community or the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, as the case may be, applies, upon the terms laid down in those Treaties, and for the EFTA Surveillance Authority the territories of the EFTA States to which the Agreement applies.

Article 2

1. Cooperation shall take place, in accordance with the provisions set out in this Protocol, where:

(a) the combined turnover of the undertakings concerned in the territory of the EFTA States equals 25 per cent or more of their total turnover within the territory covered by the Agreement, or

(b) each of at least two of the undertakings concerned has a turnover exceeding ECU 250 million in the territory of the EFTA States, or

(c) the concentration is liable to create or strengthen a dominant position as a result of which effective competition would be significantly impeded in the territories of the EFTA States or a substantial part thereof.

2. Cooperation shall also take place where:

(a) the concentration threatens to create or strengthen a dominant position as a result of which effective competition would be significantly impeded on a market within an EFTA State which presents all the characteristics of a distinct market, be it a substantial part of the territory covered by this Agreement or not, or

(b) an EFTA State wishes to adopt measures to protect legitimate interests as set out in Article 7.

INITIAL PHASE OF THE PROCEEDINGS

Article 3

1. The EC Commission shall transmit to the EFTA Surveillance Authority copies of notifications of the cases referred to in Article 2(1) and (2)(a) within three working days and, as soon as possible, copies of the most important documents lodged with or issued by the EC Commission.

2. The EC Commission shall carry out the procedures set out for the implementation of Article 57 of the Agreement in close and constant liaison with the EFTA Surveillance Authority. The EFTA Surveillance Authority and EFTA States may express their views upon those procedures. For the purposes of Article 6 of this Protocol, the EC Commission shall obtain information from the competent authority of the EFTA State concerned and give it the opportunity to make known its views at every stage of the procedures up to the adoption of a decision pursuant to that Article. To that end, the EC Commission shall give it access to the file.

HEARINGS

Article 4

In cases referred to in Article 2(1) and (2)(a), the EC Commission shall invite the EFTA Surveillance Authority to be represented at the hearings of the undertakings concerned. The EFTA States may likewise be represented at those hearings.

THE EC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CONCENTRATIONS

Article 5

1. In cases referred to in Article 2(1) and (2)(a), the EC Commission shall in due time inform the EFTA Surveillance Authority of the date of the meeting of the EC Advisory Committee on Concentrations and transmit the relevant documentation.

2. All documents forwarded for that purpose from the EFTA Surveillance Authority, including documents emanating from EFTA States, shall be presented to the EC Advisory Committee on Concentrations together with the other relevant documentation sent out by the EC Commission.

3. The EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA States shall be entitled to be present in the EC Advisory Committee on Concentrations and to express their views therein; they shall not have, however, the right to vote.

RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUAL STATES

Article 6

1. The EC Commission may, by means of a decision notified without delay to the undertakings concerned, to the competent authorities of the EC Member States and to the EFTA Surveillance Authority, refer a notified concentration to an EFTA State where a concentration threatens to create or strengthen a dominant position as a result of which effective competition would be significantly impeded on a market within that State, which presents all the characteristics of a distinct market, be it a substantial part of the territory covered by the Agreement or not.

2. In cases referred to in paragraph 1, any EFTA State may appeal to the European Court of Justice, on the same grounds and conditions as an EC Member State under Article 173 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular request the application of interim measures, for the purpose of applying its national competition law.

Article 7

1. Notwithstanding the sole competence of the EC Commission to deal with concentrations of a Community dimension as set out in Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (OJ No L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 1, as corrected by OJ No L 257, 21.9.1990, p. 13), EFTA States may take appropriate measures to protect legitimate interests other than those taken into consideration according to the above Regulation and compatible with the general principles and other provisions as provided for, directly or indirectly, under the Agreement.

2. Public security, plurality of media and prudential rules shall be regarded as legitimate interests within the meaning of paragraph 1.

3. Any other public interest must be communicated to the EC Commission and shall be recognized by the EC Commission after an assessment of its compatibility with the general principles and other provisions as provided for, directly or indirectly, under the Agreement before the measures referred to above may be taken. The EC Commission shall inform the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA State concerned of its decision within one month of that communication.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE

Article 8

1. In carrying out the duties assigned to it for the implementation of Article 57, the EC Commission may obtain all necessary information from the EFTA Surveillance Authority and EFTA States.

2. When sending a request for information to a person, an undertaking or an association of undertakings located within the territory of the EFTA Surveillance Authority, the EC Commission shall at the same time forward a copy of the request to the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

3. Where such persons, undertakings or associations of undertakings do not provide the information requested within the period fixed by the EC Commission, or provide incomplete information, the EC Commission shall by decision require the information to be provided and forward a copy of that decision to the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

4. At the request of the EC Commission, the EFTA Surveillance Authority shall undertake investigations within its territory.

5. The EC Commission is entitled to be represented and take an active part in investigations carried out pursuant to paragraph 4.

6. All information obtained during such investigations on request shall be transmitted to the EC Commission immediately after their finalization.

7. Where the EC Commission carries out investigations within the territory of the Community, it shall, as regards cases falling under Article 2(1) and (2)(a), inform the EFTA Surveillance Authority of the fact that such investigations have taken place and on request transmit in an appropriate way the relevant results of the investigations.

PROFESSIONAL SECRECY

Article 9

1. Information acquired as a result of the application of this Protocol shall be used only for the purpose of procedures under Article 57 of the Agreement.

2. The EC Commission, the EFTA Surveillance Authority, the competent authorities of the EC Member States and of the EFTA States, and their officials and other servants shall not disclose information acquired by them as a result of the application of this Protocol and of the kind covered by the obligation of professional secrecy.

3. Rules on professional secrecy and restricted use of information provided for in the Agreement or the legislation of the Contracting Parties shall not prevent the exchange and use of information as set out in this Protocol.

NOTIFICATIONS

Article 10

1. Undertakings shall address their notifications to the competent surveillance authority in accordance with Article 57(2) of the Agreement.

2. Notifications or complaints addressed to the authority which, pursuant to Article 57, is not competent to take decisions on a given case shall be transferred without delay to the competent surveillance authority.

Article 11

The date of submission of a notification shall be the date on which it is received by the competent surveillance authority.

The date of submission of a notification shall be the date on which it is received by the EC Commission or the EFTA Surveillance Authority, if the case is notified in accordance with the implementing rules under Article 57 of the Agreement, but falls under Article 53.

LANGUAGES

Article 12

1. Undertakings shall be entitled to address and be addressed by the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EC Commission in an official language of an EFTA State or the Community which they choose as regards notifications. This shall also cover all instances of a proceeding.

2. If undertakings choose to address a surveillance authority in a language which is not one of the official languages of the States falling within the competence of that authority, or a working language of that authority, they shall simultaneously supplement all documentation with a translation into an official language of that authority.

3. As far as undertakings are concerned which are not parties to the notification, they shall likewise be entitled to be addressed by the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EC Commission in an appropriate official language of an EFTA State or of the Community or in a working language of one of those authorities. If they choose to address a surveillance authority in a language which is not one of the official languages of the States falling within the competence of that authority, or a working language of that authority, paragraph 2 shall apply.

4. The language which is chosen for the translation shall determine the language in which the undertakings may be addressed by the competent authority.

TIME LIMITS AND OTHER PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS

Article 13

As regards time limits and other procedural provisions, the rules implementing Article 57 shall apply also for the purpose of the cooperation between the EC Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority and EFTA States, unless otherwise provided for in this Protocol.

TRANSITION RULE

Article 14

Article 57 shall not apply to any concentration which was the subject of an agreement or announcement or where control was acquired before the date of entry into force of the Agreement. It shall not in any circumstances apply to a concentration in respect of which proceedings were initiated before that date by a national authority with responsibility for competition.