Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.2315 — The Airline Group/NATS) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2001-04-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: air transport, carriage of goods, carriage of passengers, economic concentration, exchange of information, merger control

C 113/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

18.4.2001

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.2315 (cid:151) The Airline Group/NATS)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(2001/C 113/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 5 April 2001 the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to
1.
Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97 (2),
by which The Airline Group, controlled by Airtours International Airways Ltd, Britannia Airways Ltd,
British Airways plc, British Midland Airways Ltd, easyjet Airline Co. Ltd, Monarch Airlines Ltd and Virgin
Atlantic Airways Ltd and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (the
joint control of
Crown Shareholder) acquire, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Regulation,
National Air Traffic Services Ltd (NATS) by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

(cid:151) The Airline Group: a vehicle established to acquire NATS,

(cid:151) Airtours International Airways Ltd: charter airline operations,

(cid:151) Britannia Airways Ltd: charter airline operations,

(cid:151) British Airways plc: air transport of passengers and freight,

(cid:151) British Midland Airways Ltd: air transport of passengers and freight,

(cid:151) easyjet Airline Co. Ltd: scheduled air services,

(cid:151) Monarch Airlines Ltd: air transport of passengers and freight,

(cid:151) Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd: air transport of passengers and freight,

(cid:151) The Crown Shareholder: Head of the Department of the United Kingdom Government with respon-

sibility for Government civil aviation and air traffic management policy.

3.
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified concentration could fall within
the scope of Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant
to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council
Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (3), it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the
procedure set out in the notice.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit

4.
proposed operation.

their possible observations on the

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication.
Observations can be sent by fax (No (32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference
COMP/M.2315 (cid:151) The Airline Group/NATS, to:

European Commission,
Directorate-General for Competition,
Directorate B (cid:151) Merger Task Force,
Rue Joseph II/Jozef II-straat 70,
B-1000 Brussels.

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 257, 21.9.1990, p. 13.
(2) OJ L 180, 9.7.1997, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 40, 13.2.1998, p. 17.
(3) OJ C 217, 29.7.2000, p. 32.