EN

Case No COMP/M.2849 - DOUGHTY HANSON / ATU GROUP

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 15/07/2002

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 302M2849

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 15/7/2002

SG (2002) D/230710

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

PUBLIC VERSION

To the notifying party

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

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.2849 ñ DOUGHTY HANSON/ATU GROUP Notification of DOUGHTY HANSON/ATU GROUP pursuant to Article 4 of 1Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 151, 25/06/2002, page 13.

1.On 17 June 2002, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 by which the undertaking Doughty Hanson & Co Limited (ìDHCî; United Kingdom) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the undertakings AFM Autofahrerfachmarkt GmbH & Co KG (ìAFMî; Germany) belonging to the ATU Group (Germany), APS Autopotřeby a sluûby s.r.o. (ìAPSî; Czech Republic) and Diana Kfz-Textil GmbH (ìDianaî; Germany) by way of purchase of shares.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-- for undertaking DHC: private equity fund manager.

-- for undertaking AFM: automobile spare parts and workshops and environmental services in Austria and Germany.

-- for undertaking APS: operates the ATUís retail and workshop facility in the Czech Republic.

-- for undertaking Diana: production of clothing and seat covers.

1OJ L 395, 30.12.1989 p. 1; corrected version OJ L 257 of 21.9.1990, p. 13, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97, OJ L 180, 9.7.1997, p. 1, corrigendum in 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.

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 c of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of 2 certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89.

4.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

2OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

2