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REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 30/06/2005

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32005M3840

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 30/06/2005

SG-Greffe(2005) D/202873

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

Dear Sirs,

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.3840-CVC/Cortefiel Notification of 31.05.2005 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C 138, 07.06.2005, page 12.

1.On 31/05/2005, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 by which the undertaking Coral Retail Industries, S.L., controlled by CVC Capital Partners Group S‡rl (ìCVCî, Luxembourg) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Cortefiel, S.A. (ìCortefielî, Spain) by way of public bid announced on 12/05/2005.

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.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-- for CVC : investment fund

-- for Cortefiel : manufacture and retail distribution of clothing and related merchandise, retail distribution of cosmetics.

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, subparagraph c of 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 Neelie KROES Member of the Commission

2OJ C 56, 05.3.2005 p.32

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