Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 23/08/2001

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 301M2548

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 23.08.2001

SG (2001) D/291093

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying party

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

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.2548 ñ CINVEN CASTROL Notification of 23/07/2001 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 213, 31 July 2001, page 14

1.On 23-07-2001, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 by which which Cinven Ltd (ìCinvenî) belonging to the Cinven Group Ltd acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of parts of Burmah Castrol plc (ìCastrolî) by way of purchase of shares and assets.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-- Cinven (UK) : venture capital financing

-- Castrol (UK) : lubricants and chemicals

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.

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.

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, Franz FISCHLER Member of the Commission

2OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

2