Case No COMP/M.2090 - LIVERPOOL VICTORIA FRIENDLY SOCIETY / AC VENTURES / JV

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REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 06/12/2000

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 300M2090

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 06.12.2000 SG (2000) D/109011

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

Dear Sir, Dear Madam,

Subject: Case No. COMP/M. 2090 – Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society/AC Ventures/JV

Notification of 28.09.2000 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/891 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 283, 06.10.2000, p. 2.

1.On 03.11.2000, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 by which the Dutch undertaking AC Ventures BV, part of the global Andersen Consulting partnership, acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking Ownhome Property Limited (which is currently under sole control of the UK undertaking Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited) by way of purchase of shares in this company.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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.

Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Bruxelles/Wetstraat 200, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium Telephone: exchange 299.11.11 Telex: COMEU B 21877. Telegraphic address: COMEUR Brussels.

-– for Liverpool Victoria: provision of life assurance, general insurance, banking services and independent financial advice;

-– for Andersen Consulting: management and technology consultancy services;

-– for Ownhome Property: estate agency and related house moving services for buyers and sellers through a call centre.

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 certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89.

4.To the extent that restrictions specified by the parties are directly related and necessary to the implementation of the concentration, these restrictions are covered pursuant to Article 6(1)(b), second subparagraph, of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89.

5.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 by Mario Monti, Member of the Commission

2OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

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