3.4.2007   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 75/13

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.4601 — KarstadtQuelle/MyTravel)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/C 75/08)

1.

On 26 March 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 KarstadtQuelle AG (‘KarstadtQuelle’, Germany) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of MyTravel Group PLC (‘MyTravel’, United Kingdom) via the acquisition vehicle NewCo (to be renamed Thomas Cook Group plc, United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—

for KarstadtQuelle: department store, mail order and, via Thomas Cook AG, air flights, hotels, tour operation, sales and service agencies;

—

for MyTravel: multi-national travel group active in charter airline, tour operating and travel agency operations.

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.

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 ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.4601 — KarstadtQuelle/MyTravel 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.