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REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 21/04/2009

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32009M5493

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 21.04.2009 SG-Greffe(2009) D/2316 C(2009) 3089

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.5493 - RBSK/ DZ BANK/ RZB/ RBL JV Notification of 16/03/2009 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 68, 21/03/2009, p. 42

1.On 16.03.2009, the Commission received a notification of a concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 by which the undertakings Raiffeisen Bausparkasse G.m.b.H, belonging to the RBSK Group ("RBSK", Austria), Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall A.G., controlled by the Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank bank group ("DZ" Germany), and Raiffeisen Bank S.A. ("RBRO", Romania), controlled by the Raiffeisen Zentralbank österreich Aktiengesellschaft group ("RZB", Austria), acquired within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking Raiffeisen Banca pentru Locuinte S.A. ("RBL" Romania) by way of purchase of shares in a company constituting a joint venture.

1OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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

2.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-- for RBSK: saving and lending business for housing purposes;

-- for DZ: banking, insurance and asset management services;

-- for RZB: commercial and investment bank;

-- for RBRO : universal bank in Romania, belonging to RZB;

-- for RBL: saving and lending business for housing purposes in Romania.

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(c) 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) Philip LOWE Director General

2OJ C 56, 05.3.2005, p. 32.

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