Case No COMP/M.4181 - BLACKSTONE / CENTER PARCS (UK) GROUP

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 18/04/2006

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32006M4181

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 18/04/2006

SG-Greffe(2006) D/202089

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

PUBLIC VERSION

To the notifying party

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

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.4181ñBLACKSTONE/CENTER PARCS (UK) GROUP Notification of 10/03/2006 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C 67, 18/03/2006, page 29

1.On 10/03/2006, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 by which the Blackstone Group (ìBlackstoneî, USA) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Center Parcs (UK) Group Plc (ìCenter Parcs UKî,UK) by way of public bid announced on 9 March 2006.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-for Blackstone : private merchant banking, financial advisory services, private equity investing and property investment;

-for Center Parcs UK : operates four residential holiday villages in the UK and one spa in the UK.

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.

2.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, subparagraph (b) or (c) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment

of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004.

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

2OJ C 56, 05.3.2005 p.32

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