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REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 05/09/2005

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32005M3887

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 05-IX-2005

SG-Greffe(2005) D/204847

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

PUBLIC VERSION

To the notifying party

Dear Madam/Dear Sir,

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.3887 ñ Clerical Medical / MLP Life Notification of 05.08.2005 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C199, 13.08.2005, p.18

1.On 05.08.2005, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 by which the undertaking Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., belonging to the HBOS Group (ìHBOSî, United Kingdom) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking MLP Lebensversicherung AG (ìMLP Lifeî, Germany) by way of purchase of shares.

1OJ L 24, 29.1.2004 p. 1

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

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-- for HBOS : international bank and financial services group, active also in life insurance;

-- for MLP Life : insurance company offering life insurance products.

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, subparagraph c, of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004.

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 (EC) No. 139/2004.

For the Commission signed Neelie KROES Member of the Commission

2OJ C 56, 05.3.2005 p.32

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