EN

Case No COMP/M.3301 - ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP / FIRST ACTIVE PLC

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 03/12/2003

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 303M3301

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 03/12/2003

SG (2003) D/233227

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.3301 ñ Royal Bank of Scotland Group / First Active Notification of 31 October 2003 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation 21 (EEC) No. 4064/89 , as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C 270, 11/11/2003, page 4

1.On 31 October 2003, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 by which the UK undertaking Royal Bank of Scotland Group ("RBSGî), through its subsidiary Ulster Bank Ireland Limited ("Ulster Bank"), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the Irish undertaking First Active plc (ìFirst Activeî) by way of purchase of shares.

1OJ L 395, 30.12.1989 p.1; corrigendum: OJ L 257, 21.9.1990, p.13.

2OJ L 180, 9. 7. 1997, p. 1; corrigendum OJ L 40, 13.2.1998, p. 17.

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 RBSG: provision of banking and other financial services;

-- for Ulster Bank: provision of banking and other financial services;

-- for First Active: provision of banking and other financial services.

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 c 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

Signed by Mario MONTI Member of the Commission

3OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

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