Notification of a cooperation agreement (Case COMP/38.380/F1 — Whirlpool + BSH + Electrolux + Merloni) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2002-06-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: computer network, cooperation agreement, household electrical appliance, inter-company agreement, joint venture, management

12.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 139/5

Notification of a cooperation agreement

(Case COMP/38.380/F1 — Whirlpool + BSH + Electrolux + Merloni)

(2002/C 139/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

1.
On 4 March 2002 the Commission received a notification of a joint venture agreement pursuant to
Article 4 of Council Regulation No 17 (1), from Whirlpool Europe BV (Holland), Electrolux Home Products
Corporation NV (Belgium) and BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (Germany), and on 3 May
2002, the Commission received an amendment to that notification, informing it that as from that date
Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA (Italy) would become a shareholder of the joint venture. The object of the
initially, to create common access and administration for the participating seller
joint venture is (a)
portal
(B2B)
companies's
(http://www.tradeplace.com); and (b) at a later stage, possibly to develop an XML system-to-system hub
and an e-market place in the household appliances industry.

business-to-business

separate

portales

existing

new

via

a

2.
The new portal and, if established, the XML system-to-system hub and the e-market-place will be
neutral and open to all commercial retailers and distributors who are customers of selling companies that
choose to use the portal. They will also be open to all sellers (manufactures and marketers) of white goods
in the territory (2) provided that they comply with EU laws and the laws of applicable countries in the
territory, and provided that their products sold in Europe comply with standards that are the same as, or
equivalent to, the energy efficiency standards set forth in the most current applicable CECED ‘Voluntary
Commitments on Reducing Energy Consumption’.

The JV will allow participating companies to streamline their operations and outsource part of their
administration and IT work. Buyers will be provided with a more convenient access to information,
and will also be able to make product and price comparisons between the different participating seller
companies more easily. Products will not be sold jointly nor will any confidential information be shared.

Upon preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified cooperation agreement could

3.
fall within the scope of Regulation No 17.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit any observation they may have on the

4.
proposed operation.

5.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 15 working days following the date of this
publication. Observation can be sent to the Commission by fax (No (32-2) 295 01 28) or by post under
reference number COMP/38.380/F1 to:

European Commission
Directorate General for Competition
Antitrust Registry
B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

(1) OJ 13, 21.2.1962, p. 204.
(2) Which comprises all EU Member States,

Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lativa, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova,
Poland, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine and Yugoslavia.