Case No COMP/M.2527 - TELENOR EAST / ECO TELECOM / VIMPEL-COMMUNICATIONS

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 21/09/2001

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 301M2527

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 21-09-2001

SG (2001) D/291537

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

Dear Madam/Sirs,

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.2527 ñ Telenor East/Eco Telecom/Vimpel-Communications Notification of 24 August 2001 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/891; publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 243, 31.8.2001, p. 7.

1.On 24 August 2001, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 by which the Gibraltar-based undertaking Eco Telecom Limited (ìEco Telecomî), belonging to the Russian Alfa Group of Companies (ìAlfa Groupî), and the Norwegian undertaking Telenor East Invest AS (ìTelenor Eastî), controlled by the Norwegian Telenor ASA (ìTelenorî), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the Russian Open Joint Stock Company ìVimpel-Communicationsî (ìVimpel-Communicationsî) by way of purchase of assets.

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.

ñ for Eco Telecom: holding company for Russian telecommunications companies

ñ for Alfa Group: financial services, commodity trading, food processing

ñ for Telenor East: shareholder of Vimpel-Communications

ñ for Telenor: telecommunications services

ñ for Vimpel-Communications: telecommunications services

2.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, subparagraphs a and b, of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89.

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 Mario MONTI Member of the Commission

2OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

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