Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.6546 — Ericsson/Technicolor Broadcasting Services) — Candidate case for simplified procedure  Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2012-06-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: broadcasting, economic concentration, merger control, technology, telecommunications industry








C_2012155EN.01000901.xml










1.6.2012   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 155/9





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case COMP/M.6546 — Ericsson/Technicolor Broadcasting Services)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
2012/C 155/09






1.


On 25 May 2012, 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 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (‘Ericsson’, Sweden) will acquire control of the broadcasting services business of Technicolor SA (‘Technicolor’, France) within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation. In particular, Ericsson will acquire, through wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Ericsson Group, the whole of the issued share capital and voting rights of (i) Technicolor Network Services France SAS, (ii) Nederlands Omroepproducktie Bedrijf NV, (iii) Technicolor Broadcast Services UK Ltd, (iv) Technicolor Network Services UK Ltd and (v) Technicolor Distribution Services UK Ltd (together ‘Technicolor Broadcasting Services business’).










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


Ericsson is an international provider of equipment, technology and services to mobile and fixed network telecom operators, including 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies. Ericsson is also active in the provision of managed broadcasting services in Sweden,










—


The Technicolor Broadcasting Services business of the French international company Technicolor (formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia) consist in the provision of managed broadcasting services, in particular the provision of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication and Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s managed broadcasting business activities are focused in France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.














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.










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.6546 — Ericsson/Technicolor Broadcasting Services, to the following address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




J-70




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË










(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘EC Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).