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Case No COMP/M.2592 - 3 i / EQVITEC / POHJOLA / SUOMI / ION BLAST

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REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 11/10/2001

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 301M2592

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 11.10.2001

SG (2001) D/291758/-59/-60/-61

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.2592 - 3 i/EQVITEC/POHJOLA/SUOMI/ION BLAST Notification of 10.9.2001 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 14064/89 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 263 of 19.09.2001

1.On 10.9.2001, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 by which Eqvitec Teknologia Rahasto I (ìEqvitecî, Finland), 3I via its subsidiary SFK 99-Rahasto Ky (Finland), Vahinkovakuutusosakeyhtiˆ Pohjola (ìPohjolaî, Finland) and Keskin‰inen Henkivakuutusyhtiˆ Suomi (ìSuomiî, Finland) acquired, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation, joint control of the undertaking Ion Blast Oy (Finland) by way of purchase of shares.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-- for undertaking Eqvitec: venture capital fund

-- for undertaking SFK 99-Rahasto Ky: investment fund belonging to the 3I Group

-- for undertaking Pohjola: insurance, claims settlement and risk management services

OJ 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. Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Bruxelles/Wetstraat 200, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium Telephone: exchange 299.11.11 Telex: COMEU B 21877. Telegraphic address: COMEUR Brussels.

-- for undertaking Suomi: insurance

-- for undertaking Ion Blast Oy: manufacturing and licensing of an electrostatic gas purification and dust removal technology

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.

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) Mario MONTI Member of the Commission

2OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

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