32001M2310

Commission Decision of 19/02/2001 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No IV/M.2310 - HUTCHISON / INVESTOR / HI3G) according to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (Only the English text is authentic)

Brussels, 19/02/2001 SG(2001) D/286270

To the notifying parties

Dear Madam / Sir(s),

Subject: Case No. COMP/M. 2310 - HUTCHISON/INVESTOR/HI3G

Notification of 22.01.2001 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4064/89 [1]

[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.

Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 29 of 30.01.2001 p. 5

1. On 22.01.2001, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 by which the undertakings Hutchison Whampoa Limited ("Hutchison") (Hong Kong) and Investor AB ("Investor") (Sweden) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of HI3G Access AB (HI3G) (Sweden) by way contract of management and purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.

2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

- for Hutchison: diversified corporation with activities focused on telecommunications and e-commerce, ports, property and hotels, retail and manufacturing and energy and infrastructure;

- for Investor: holding company with minority participations in various industrial companies such as ABB, AstraZeneca and Ericsson. Investor controls Saab/Celsius jointly with British Aerospace;

- for HI3G: UMTS [2] licensee in Sweden.

[2] Universal Mobile Telecommunications system.

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 b) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 [3].

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

4. 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