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REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 23/03/2005

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32005M3727

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 23-III-2005

SG-Greffe(2005) D/201471/2

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

PUBLIC VERSION

To the notifying parties

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

Subject: Case No. COMP/ M.3727 ñ 3i/Berkenhoff Notification of 16/02/2005 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C-47, 23/02/2005, page 11.

1.On 16/02/2005, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 by which the undertaking 3i Group plc (ì3iî, UK) and Granville Private Equity Managers (Deutschland) Fund Limited Partnership and GBCP (D) II LP (together referred to as ìGB-Fundsî, Germany) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking Berkenhoff Management Holding GmbH (ìBerkenhoff Holdingî, Germany) by way of purchase of shares.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-- for undertaking 3i : venture capital and private equity company

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. Office: J-70 ñ 4/188. Telephone: direct line (32-2) 2959675. Fax: (32-2) 2964301

-- for undertaking GB-Funds: private equity funds

-- for undertaking Berkenhoff Holding: active in development , production and distribution of fine wire solutions in non-ferrous alloys.

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) No139/2004.

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

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