Case No COMP/M.4075 - PROVIDENCE / CARLYLE / COM HEM

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 25/01/2006

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32006M4075

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 25.01.2006

SG-Greffe(2006) D/200327

PUBLIC VERSION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

To the notifying parties

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

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.4075 ñ Providence/Carlyle/Com Hem Notification of 14.12.2005 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No. C 325 of 22.12.2005 on page 5

1.On 14 December 2005, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 by which Carlyle Europe Partners II L.P. (ìCarlyleî, USA) and Providence Equity Offshore Partners V L.P. (ìProvidenceî, Cayman Islands) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of Nordic Communication Services AB, the ultimate parent of the Com Hem Group, by way of purchase of shares.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-- for Carlyle: private global investment firm;

-- for Providence: private investment fund of Providence Equity Partners Inc. which is a global private investment firm specializing in equity investments in media and communications companies;

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.

-- for Com Hem: provision of cable TV, telephony and broadband services in Sweden;

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(c)(ii) 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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