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Document 32003M3250

Commission Decision of 09/09/2003 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.3250 - PERMIRA III / GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP / BLACKSTONE GROUP / DEBENHAMS) according to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (Only the English text is authentic)

ELT C 222, 18.9.2003, p. 5–5 (ES, DA, DE, EL, EN, FR, IT, NL, PT, FI, SV)

Legal status of the document In force

32003M3250

Commission Decision of 09/09/2003 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No IV/M.3250 - PERMIRA III / GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP / BLACKSTONE GROUP / DEBENHAMS) according to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (Only the English text is authentic)

Official Journal 222 , 18/09/2003 P. 0005 - 0005


Commission Decision of 09/09/2003 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No IV/M.3250 - PERMIRA III / GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP / BLACKSTONE GROUP / DEBENHAMS) according to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (Only the English text is authentic)

To the notifying parties

Dear Sir,

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.3250 - Permira Europe III / Goldman Sachs / Blackstone / Debenhams

Notification of 7 August 2003 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 [1]. Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C195 on 19.08.2003.

[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 7.8.2003, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 by which the undertaking Permira Europe III (UK), GS Capital Partners 2000 LP and affiliates, belonging to the Goldman Sachs Group ("Goldman Sachs") (USA) and Blackstone Capital Partners IV Merchant Banking Fund L.P. and affiliates, belonging to the Blackstone Group ("Blackstone") (USA) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Debenhams plc (UK) by way of public bid announced on 29 July 2003.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

- for Permira Europe III, Goldman Sachs and Blackstone: private equity funds

- for Debenhams: retailing a range of consumer, household and food goods.

2. 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 b, of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 [2].

[2] OJ C 217, 29.07.2000, p. 32.

3. 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,

Mario MONTI

Member of the Commission

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