27.2.2007   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 43/8


Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.4589 — Delta Lloyd/Erasmus Groep)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/C 43/09)

1.

On 16 February 2007, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking by Delta Lloyd Verzekeringen N.V. (Delta Lloyd, the Netherlands), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Aviva insurance group (Aviva, UK), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation sole control of the undertaking Erasmus Groep B.V. (Erasmus, the Netherlands), by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

for Delta Lloyd: active in the insurance sector in the Netherlands;

for Aviva: international savings, investment and insurance group active worldwide including in the United Kingdom, continental Europe, North America, Asia and Australia;

for Erasmus: active in the insurance sector in the Netherlands.

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (fax No (32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.4589 — Delta Lloyd/Erasmus Groep, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel


(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.