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Case No COMP/M.4894 - AEGON / CAJA CANTABRIA / JV

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 26/09/2007

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32007M4894

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 26.09.2007

SG-Greffe(2007) D/205746

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties:

Dear Sirs,

Subject: Case COMP/M.4894 - AEGON/ CAJA CANTABRIA/ JV Notification of 24.08.2007 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C204, 01.09.2007, p.16

1.On 24.08.2007, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 by which the undertakings Aegon Spanje Holding, BV ("Aegon", The Netherlands) belonging to the Aegon Group and Caja Cantabria (Spain) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the newly created joint venture.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-- Aegon: life insurance and pensions, savings and investment products;

-- Caja Cantabria: banking and insurance distribution;

-- JV: life insurance and pension products in Spain.

2.After examination of the notification, the Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 and of paragraph 5, subparagraph c, of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004.

1OJ L 24, 29.1.2004 p. 1

2OJ C 56, 05.3.2005 p.32

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

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 (EC) No. 139/2004.

For the Commission (signed) [p.p. Lowri Evans] Philip LOWE Director General

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