Commission Decision of 29/01/2003 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No IV/M.3055 - RAUTAKIRJA / HACHETTE DISTRIBUTION SERVICES / JV) according to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (Only the English text is authentic) Official Journal 030 , 08/02/2003 P. 0030 - 0030 Commission Decision of 29/01/2003 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No IV/M.3055 - RAUTAKIRJA / HACHETTE DISTRIBUTION SERVICES / JV) according to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (Only the English text is authentic) To the notifying parties Dear Madam(s) and/or Sir(s), Subject:
Case No. COMP/M.3055 - Rautakirja/Hachette Distribution Services/JV Notification of 16/12/2002 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 [1] Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 324, 24/12/2002. [1] OJ 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. 1. On 16.12.2002, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 by which the undertaking Rautakirja, Finland, acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the undertaking HDS Retail Czech Republic (HDS Retail), by way of purchase of shares.
HDS Retail is currently wholly owned and controlled by Hachette Distribution Services S.A. (HDS), France. 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: - for Rautakirja: distribution of newspapers and magazines and operation of newsstands, bookstores, cinemas and restaurants; - for HDS: wholesale distribution and retailing of newspapers, magazines and books; the distribution and sale of records, videos and mutimedia products; operation of retail stores in travel outlets. - for HDS Retail: the operation of retail stores in transportation centres and newspaper kiosks in Czech Republic.
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, subparagraph (a) of the Commission Notice on simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 [2]. [2] OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32. 4. For the reasons set out in this Notice 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 Mario MONTI Member of the Commission