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Case No COMP/M.4793 - LAFARGE / ETEX / GYPLAC JV

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 03/09/2007

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32007M4793

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 3.IX.2007 SG-Greffe(2007) D/205269/205270

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

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

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.4793 - LAFARGE/ ETEX/ GYPLAC JV Notification of 27.07.2007 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C 181 of 03.08.2007, page 27

1.On 27.07.2007, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 by which the undertakings Etex Group S.A. ("Etex", Belgium) and Lafarge S.A. ("Lafarge", France) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking Gyplac ("Gyplac", Columbia) by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-- for Lafarge :production and sale of plasterboard and other plaster-based products;

-- for Etex : manufacture of building materials and systems;

-- for Gyplac: manufacture and sale of plaster and plasterboard in Colombia.

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.

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

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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