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Case No COMP/M.5390 - MPS GROUP / ARGOS SODITIC / BELLCO

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 22/12/2008

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32008M5390

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 22/12/2008 SG-Greffe(2008) D/205866 C(2008) 8937

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

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

1.On 20/11/2008, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 by which MPS Venture S.p.A. ("MPS", Italy), belonging to the Monte Paschi banking Group ("MPS Group, Italy) and Argos Soditic France SAS ("Argos Soditic", France) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control over Bellco S.r.l. ("Bellco", Italy), which is controlled by Sorin Group Italia S.r.l. ("Sorin", Italy), by way of purchase of shares.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-- for MPS: management of closed-end investment funds in Italy;

-- for Argos Soditic: private equity firm;

-- for Bellco: renal care products.

1OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

Commission européenne, 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 (EC) No 139/2004 and of paragraph 5(b) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/20042.

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) Philip LOWE Director General

2OJ C 56, 05.3.2005, p. 32.

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