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Case No COMP/M.2336 - THOMSON MULTIMEDIA TECHNICOLOR

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 28/02/2001

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 301M2336

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 28.02.2001 SG(2001) D/286491

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.2336 – Thomson/Technicolor Notification of 30.01.2001 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 14064/89 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 42 of 08.02.2001, page 9.

1.On 30.01.2001, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 by which the French company Thomson Multimedia S.A. acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the U.K. based Technicolor group by way of purchase of shares. Technicolor is currently jointly owned by the British companies Carlton Communications Plc., Carltonco 103 Ltd. And Carltonco Forty Investments Ltd. The group to be acquired consists of different companies constituting one business - motion picture film processing, replication of DVDs, CDs and videocassettes and distribution services. Thomson Multimedia S.A is active in the production of consumer electronics, provision of New Media Services and Patents and Licensing 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, subparagraph b of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89.

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.

2OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

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3.To the extent that restrictions specified by the parties are directly related and necessary to the implementation of the concentration, these restrictions are covered pursuant to Article 6(1)(b), second subparagraph, of 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)

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