P4 and PTK Centertel have obtained a consent to create one joint undertaking providing wholesale services of access to broadband data transmission. Also Astrium and the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences can establish a new entity. Moreover, the President of UOKiK has given her consent for a takeover of Ruch by Lurena and two other concentrations.

Two operators of mobile telephony - P4 and PTK Centertel – are allowed to create one joint undertaking. P4 offers its services under the brand name of Play and PTK Centertel operates under the Orange brand. The new entity, whose name has not been determined yet, is to take part in the tender for providing wholesale services of access to broadband data transmission in LTE, announced by the Office of Electronic Communications.

What is more, the transaction involving establishment by a French company, Astrium, and the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, a joint undertaking under the name Astri Polska, has been allowed. Astrium designs and manufactures satellites, space equipment and orbital infrastructure as well as sells services connected with Earth observation. The Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences deals with investigating the space and development of space equipment. The joint undertaking will carry out production, service and trade activity concerning, inter alia, the use and application of space technologies.

The President of UOKiK has also given her consent for the takeover of Ruch by Lurena Investment. Lurena Investment is a global investment organisation of Eton Park, which involves in projects of various industries. Ruch is a public company dealing mainly with press distribution. The intended concentration consists in acquisition by Lurena the entirety of shares of Ruch offered for sale by the Ministry of Treasury, i.e. 56.84% of votes at the general meeting. Moreover, the acquiring party plans to purchase the remaining shares of Ruch held by other shareholders.

Another consent relates to the acquisition of a part of C&C Partners Telecom property by Inter-Consult. Both entities are partners in the mobile telephony operator, Polkomtel, and as its agents carry out authorised salesrooms of Plus network. The concentration will lead to extending the range of Inter-Consult activity and increase the undertaking's  share on the market of mobile telephony distribution.

The President of UOKiK does not have any objections against creation of one joint undertaking by six companies delivering components for the automotive industry: Gates Power Transmission Europe, Lucas International Holdings, MS Motor Service International, SKF Holding France, Tenneco Automotive Europe and Valeo Sernice. The new entity, operating under the name eXponentia, will provide training for independent garages in ten European countries.

Having conducted the antitrust proceedings, the President of UOKiK has stated that the concentrations will not significantly restrict competition in Poland.

Under the existing regulations, a transaction is subject to a notification submitted to the antitrust authority if the transaction participants' total turnover in the year preceding the notification exceeded 1 billion euro worldwide or 50 million euro in Poland. 

Information on all antitrust proceedings related to concentrations carried out by UOKiK is available at the Office’s website.

At the same time, we would like to inform that the draft Clarifications on notification of intended concentration to the President of UOKiK has been published on the Office’s website. Our experience shows that the delivered documents are often accompanied by requests of undertakings regarding clarification of provisions governing notification of intended concentration. In response to those inquiries, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has drawn up the Clarifications, which should raise legal awareness of the obligation to notify of the intended concentration, as well as facilitate interpretation of the provisions regulating the notification procedure. In the opinion of the Office, publication of the Clarifications will facilitate preparation of applications and thus accelerate issuing of decisions by the President of UOKiK.

Should there be any comments, opinions or suggested changes, please send them by 30 September 2010 at koncentracje@uokik.gov.pl. Any additional information about the developed Clarifications can be found at (+48 22) 55 60 122 in the Department of Concentration Control.

Additional information for the media:
Małgorzata Cieloch, Spokesperson for UOKiK
Department of International Relations and Communication
Pl. Powstańcow Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa
Tel.:(+48 22) 827 28 92, 55 60 106, 55 60 430
faks (+48 22) 826 11 86
E-mail: malgorzata.cieloch@uokik.gov.pl