Disclaimer :

The Competition DG makes the information provided by the notifying parties in section 1.2 of Form CO available to the public in order to increase transparency. This information has been prepared by the notifying parties under their sole responsibility, and its content in no way prejudges the view the Commission may take of the planned operation. Nor can the Commission be held responsible for any incorrect or misleading information contained therein.

COMP/M.4683 - ABN AMRO/ OSG

SECTION 1.2

Description of the concentration

Pearl Mezzanine Limited, a company which will once the associated investment agreement has been completed be within the ABN AMRO Group, intends to acquire control over OyezStraker Group Holdings Limited (together with its subsidiaries ìthe OSG Groupî).

The ABN AMRO Group provides banking and financial services throughout Europe and the world, consisting of a wide variety of commercial, investment banking and other financial products.

The OSG Group distributes office products and provides business services to business customers primarily in the UK. The transaction therefore concerns the markets for the distribution of office supplies to larger end-users, the distribution of office furniture and the provision of business services in the UK. The office products and business services businesses belonging to the OSG Group are operated under various brands (including Whitegrove, Lynch McQueen, OE, Office Zone, Statplus, OyezStraker, Office Team, Hipag, File & Data and SPS).

The ABN AMRO Group is not active in the distribution of office supplies to larger end-users, the distribution of office furniture or the provision of business services in the UK.

The ABN AMRO Group does have some minor interests in companies active in the office products sector, described in detail in section 6 below. None of the interests constitute a horizontal relationship, and only one constitutes a vertical relationship (upstream of the OSG Group). However, neither the individual nor the combined shares of the parties to the concentration exceed 25% on the relevant upstream or downstream markets.