EN

Case No COMP/M.2206 - RATOS / QUALITY- LABORATORIES

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 07/12/2000

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 300M2206

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

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 07/12/2000 SG(2000)D/109065

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties

Dear Sirs,

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.2206 – Ratos AB/Quality Laboratories Notification of 27.09.2000 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 14064/89 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 325, 16/11/2000, p. 3

1.On 7 November 2000, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/891, by which Ratos AB (publ) (“Ratos”) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of Quality-Laboratories Sweden AB (“Q-Labs”), currently controlled by Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ) (“Ericsson”) and Det Norske Veritas AS (“Veritas”), by way of purchase of newly issued shares.

1OJ 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.

2.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-- Ratos is a capital investment company.

-- Ericsson is a supplier in the telecommunications and data communications industry.

-- Veritas is a provider of safety and reliability services.

-- Q-Labs is a software-engineering consultant.

3.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(b) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain

concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/892.

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 (EEC) No. 4064/89.

For the Commission,

2OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

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