Case No COMP/M.3399 - PPM VENTURES / TRITON / PHARMACIA DIAGNOSTICS

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 23/03/2004

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 304M3399

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 23.03.2004

SG-Greffe(2004) D/201130/201131

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

Dear Madam(s) and/or Sir(s),

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.3399 - PPMV/Triton/Pharmacia Diagnostics Notification of 24/02/2004 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C 55, 03.03.2004

1.On 24/02/2004, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 by which the undertakings PPM Ventures Ltd (ëPPMVí, UK), belonging to the Prudential Plc group, and Triton Managers Ltd (ëTritoní, UK) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the Pharmacia Diagnostics business (Sweden), belonging to Pfizer Inc.(ëPfizerí, USA), by way of purchase of shares.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-- for undertaking PPMV : Private equity investment fund

-- for undertaking Triton : Private equity investment fund

1OJ L 395, 30.12.1989 p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 257, 21.9.1990, p. 13.

2OJ L 180, 9. 7. 1997, p. 1; corrigendum OJ L 40, 13.2.1998, p. 17.

Commission europÈenne, B-1049 Bruxelles / Europese Commissie, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium. Telephone: (32-2) 299 11 11.

- for undertaking Pharmacia Diagnostics : blood test systems for clinical diagnosis and monitoring of allergy, asthma and autoimmune diseases; natural allergen raw materials and pollen extracts for natural health products

3.After examination of the notification, the Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 and of paragraph 4, subparagraph b, of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89.

For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the common market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89.

For the Commission

(signed) Mario MONTI Member of the Commission

3OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

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