CELEX: 32018M8906
Language: en
Date: 2018-06-04 00:00:00
Title: Commission Decision of 04/06/2018 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.8906 - Goodyear / Bridgestone) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
                                                                Brussels,4.6.2018
                                                                C(2018) 3679 final
                                                                        PUBLIC VERSION
                                                                To the notifying parties
Subject:        Case M.8906 - GOODYEAR / BRIDGESTONE / TIREHUB
                Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC)
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                No 139/2004 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area
Dear Sir or Madam,
1.      On 7 May 2018, the European Commission received notification of a proposed
        concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which Goodyear Tire &
        Rubber Company (United States) and Bridgestone Corporation (Japan) acquire within the
        meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of TireHub
        LLC. The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created
        company constituting a joint venture.3
2.      The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
        −     Goodyear is a US-based manufacturer and distributor of tyres and related products and
              services, active worldwide,
        −     Bridgestone is a Japanese corporation which is active worldwide in the manufacture
              and sale of tyre and rubber products,
        −     TireHub will combine the US tyre wholesale distribution businesses of Bridgestone
              and Goodyear to offer wholesale, distribution and delivery services to customers
              across a broad range of products and an expanded network of locations across the US.
1       OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the 'Merger Regulation'). With effect from 1 December 2009, the Treaty on the
        Functioning of the European Union ('TFEU') has introduced certain changes, such as the replacement of
        'Community' by 'Union' and 'common market' by 'internal market'. The terminology of the TFEU will be used
        throughout this decision.
2       OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3 (the 'EEA Agreement').
3       Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 171, 18.05.2018, p. 15.
Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel, BELGIË
Tel: +32 229-91111. Fax: +32 229-64301. E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu.
 ---pagebreak--- 3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the
   notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraph 5(a) of
   Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under
   Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.4
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European Commission
   has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the
   internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of
   Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement.
                                                    For the Commission
                                                    (Signed)
                                                    Johannes LAITENBERGER
                                                    Director-General
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.
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