17.2.2012   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 46/14

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6447 — IAG/bmi)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2012/C 46/04

1.

On 10 February 2012, 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 International Airlines Group (IAG — United Kingdom) directly or via its subsidiary BA acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking British Midlands Limited (bmi — United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—

for IAG: air transport for passengers, air transport for cargo, airport groundhandling services and maintenance, repair and overhaul services,

—

for bmi: air transport for passengers, air transport for cargo, airport groundhandling services and maintenance, repair and overhaul services.

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope the EC Merger Regulation. 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), by e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6447 — IAG/bmi, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘EC Merger Regulation’).