24.12.2009   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 320/25

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5661 — Abbott/Solvay Pharmaceuticals)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2009/C 320/12

1.

On 15 December 2009, 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 Abbott, USA acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Regulation control of the whole of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Belgium, by way of purchase of assets.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—

for Abbott: A global health care company active in pharmaceutical, nutritional and diagnostic products and medical devices,

—

for Solvay Pharmaceuticals: Active in pharmaceutical products and, via its subsidiary Innogenetics N.V., in the diagnostics field.

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 22964301 or 22967244) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5661 — Abbott/Solvay Pharmaceuticals, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.