commiss decis juli declar compat concentr common market case iv varta bosch council regul eec german text authent eec commiss european commun regard treati establish european econom commun regard council regul eec decemb control concentr undertak articl thereof regard request german bundeskartellamt march referr case articl aforesaid council regul regard commiss decis april initi proceed case undertak concern opportun make view object rais commiss regard opinion advisori committe concentr concentr propos concentr notifi februari concern creation compani starterbatteri gmbh varta batteri ag varta robert bosch gmbh bosch compani transfer starter batteri busi varta acquir bosch interest compani notifi oper concentr mean articl council regul eec varta bosch control compani jointli specif agreement conclud parti rahmenvertrag particip parent compani manag supervisori board compani parti appoint manag director joint ventur number decis directli relat manag compani major appli approv detail budget plan joint ventur appoint dismiss director member execut supervisori board subsidiari compani ensur influenc parti manag starterbatteri gmbh varta bosch equal repres supervisori board joint ventur compani perform last basi function autonom econom entiti starterbatteri gmbh carri develop product distribut starter batteri econom independ parent compani respons commerci polici varta bosch transfer nation intern starter batteri activ joint ventur includ product relat amp product distribut facil withdraw activ bosch sell starter batteri produc joint ventur distribut network automot part act commiss agent instruct account starterbatteri gmbh econom point view consid compani enter market independ supplier varta continu produc batteri product traction stationari consum batteri bosch continu tradit activ produc automot part commiss indic creation joint ventur anti competit effect abovement activ compani respect risk coordin competit behaviour undertak remain independ ii commun dimens propos concentr commun dimens worldwid turnov varta ecu billion bosch ecu billion commun wide turnov varta ecu billion bosch ecu billion parti exce articl regul eec threshold varta bosch achiev third commun turnov member state iii parti varta import batteri produc starter batteri industri batteri consum batteri germani import batteri manufactur commun starter batteri concern compani activ member state supplier vehicl produc retail bosch inter alia worldwid produc automot part includ starter batteri telecommun equip consum good bosch offer starter batteri replac market repres europ bosch suppli origin equip market starter batteri spain spanish subsidiari femsa iv decis commiss proceed decis initi proceed examin notif commiss conclud notifi oper rais doubt compat common market decid april initi proceed pursuant articl regul eec statement object investig carri broad rang undertak oper affect market competitor custom commiss parti statement object rais object replac market starter batteri germani spain object set statement object summar relev product market starter batteri sector divid distinct product market origin equip market compris suppli starter batteri vehicl produc initi equip vehicl replac market compris suppli replac batteri retail market equip car gener term distinct product market base differ product function product resid fact condit competit differ significantli market consequ produc adapt commerci entrepreneuri polici requir sale market gener term origin equip market character specif demand side automobil industri market specif featur suppli origin equip market impli steadi demand reduc number batteri type bosch lt varta gt small number client notif parti concern varta sold bosch respect sale volum client origin equip market natur product batteri origin equip market correspond specif requir car manufactur bosch varta letter march page suppli charg specif pallet bosch letter octob page qualiti standard includ defect reliabl product prescrib control car manufactur suppli origin equip market gener link amp cooper product car manufactur enabl supplier follow latest technic develop market distribut origin equip market mean time deliveri small number client suppli replac market hand impli strong season fluctuat demand larger number batteri type bosch gt varta lt varieti distributor rang purchas organ wholesal car produc depart store ultim dealer natur product replac batteri sold car manufactur adapt current standard type car produc varta bosch letter march page deliv dry batteri qualiti standard control custom varta bosch letter march page feedback cooper amp product distribut sale market requir exist distribut servic network system number client requir deliveri local outlet servic distinct origin equip market replac market common practic industri bosch letter octob page gener term confirm court justic heavi good vehicl tyre court justic industri michelin commiss parti present case differenti justifi practic made clear distinct market organ joint ventur establish separ divis origin equip replac market manag director rahmenvertrag relev geograph market replac market starter batteri germani spain consid nation market investig shown suffici homogen condit competit countri differ appreci condit competit member state establish separ geograph market factor market share manufactur member state shown inform commun parti competitor manufactur charg germani spain type batteri price charg member state differ continu exist absenc specif legal barrier attribut rang establish appreci condit competit member state natur characterist product product rang reflect requir demand side sold member state starter batteri adapt specif electr requir type vehicl fact type replac batteri number type car type replac batteri produc commun type vari relat size power import sale type vari respect member state stock car member state influenc batteri type sold member state larg produc varta bosch ceac magneti marelli market germani spain franc itali ask popular batteri type seller member state million batteri sold result total number batteri type includ seller supplier member state mention type seller member state volum million type seller member state volum million type seller member state volum million type seller member state volum million larg varieti type offer commun replac batteri regard homogen product product rang sold member state constitut structur differ condit competit chang respect expect futur nation product rang replac batteri relat stock vehicl countri composit significantli chang year take account life cycl batteri car approxim year strong align stock vehicl small effect replac batteri market futur ii buyer prefer prefer buyer brand replac starter batteri evid member state differ significantli brand favour italian market larg supplier sell batteri except brand spain germani share manufactur brand estim franc share manufactur brand declin past result expans modern distribut system fiat estim sale volum gener share term higher share volum term higher price charg manufactur brand fact supplier brand member state demonstr inform provid bosch varta germani bosch sell substanti share brand batteri bosch label franc spain sell substanti share substanti share femsa label spain germani varta sell substanti share substanti share brand batteri varta label sell franc substanti share brand baroclem varta bosch march annex iii structur demand side import element establish condit competit structur demand side substanti differ spread import distribut channel present member state confirm notifi parti competitor check investig result investig show share replac batteri sold distribut network batteri produc differ member state member state member state member state replac batteri sold distribut channel vehicl produc dealer import account market franc germani spain italian market distribut channel independ dealer automot part member state import distribut channel share total replac market differ franc itali distribut channel structur client itali spain distribut channel character larg share ultim dealer wholesal germani unit kingdom domin wholesal franc purchas organ wholesal depart store supermarket signific franc market spain germani itali oil compani small share german french market relev spain itali unit kingdom tendenc concentr demand side expect germani spain modern distribut system import consid develop lead radic chang structur distribut system member state futur iv suppli side barrier entri concentr suppli vari consider member state suppli concentr market difficult actual potenti competitor increas market share penetr market market relat barrier exist confirm fact legal trade barrier entri batteri european commun year custom duti levi spain decemb signific market penetr largest member state case acquisit nation compani exist plant tudor unsuccess attempt enter german market acquir german compani hagen market domin propos concentr give entiti domin posit germani spain result effect competit significantli imped factor german market market share entiti amount lead order gt largest competitor consider competitor small medium size batteri specialist varta bosch greater financi strength import competitor entiti lead product capac comparison nearest competitor exist capac nearest competitor high larg european produc german market small market share spanish market market share entiti amount exist equal strong competitor tudor sa lead reason align behaviour competitor absenc larg actual competitor counter align behaviour main competitor spanish market note send statement object statement object oral hear parti held result commiss maintain object german market statement object factual occur fiat acquir french batteri produc ceac market share germani fiat group enter agreement acquir ceac german batteri produc sonnenschein sonnenschein market share germani commit enter varta varta inform commiss cut cooper link deta mareg group compani purpos agre period termin licenc agreement deta mareg group prolong deta mareg varta properti right licenc agreement starter batteri conclud consent commiss end overlap membership manag supervisori board varta hand deta mareg group hand vi implic factual commit affect market abovement concentr project fiat ceac sonnenschein varta commit constitut import chang market structur influenc assess concentr project varta bosch creation domin posit concern influenc commiss assess definit relev product relev geograph market advisori committe concentr express juli major opinion factual insuffici alter apprais statement object commiss utmost account advisori committe opinion draw decis relev product market relev product market parti claim origin equip sector replac sector starter batteri belong product market confirm oral hear technic qualit differ exist market organ joint ventur separ director deal origin equip activ deal replac market activ reason set statement object fact distinguish origin equip market replac market starter batteri common practic industri commiss maintain origin assess relev geograph market parti state relev geograph market replac batteri european market object commiss apprais condit competit exist member state attack criteria put forward establish exist condit competit natur characterist product parti state batteri homogen product product rang offer member state varta provid inform popular batteri type seller sell largest member state germani spain franc itali unit kingdom analysi show small number batteri type seller member state result total number batteri type includ seller member state mention repres total volum sale volum million type seller member state volum million type seller member state volum million type seller member state volum million type seller member state volum million type seller member state volum million expect parti presum differ product rang exist member state decreas signific extent year percentag share import vehicl increas hand vehicl import member state approxim import germani japanes car case franc itali hand expect strong rapproch product rang place futur regard assess exist consum prefer import brand german market estim commiss parti correspond share manufactur brand market parti declar sell substanti share bosch substanti share varta dual brand includ batteri brand varta bosch letter march annex germani structur suppli side parti claim commiss suffici consider import german spanish market german market proport import estim commiss parti increas stagnant year differ consid substanti chang gener assess parti claim commiss base analysi import volum unit regard question assess base import measur volum commiss consid case figur reliabl firstli larg uncertainti import quota term volum offici import statist measur weight unit make estim includ group intern import varta group intern exchang starter batteri commun amount million batteri sale competitor million batteri commun import figur volum reflect qualit signific competit point view figur volum weight type batteri batteri motor cycl truck consid justifi base assess import reflect evalu market product concern account element influenc competit market domin abovement factual contrast impact legal assess concentr creat domin posit entiti german market acquisit fiat fiat magneti marelli acquisit ceac sonnenschein chang structur market condit respect due acquisit ceac sonnenschein fiat market share germani increas import pure increas market share substanti materi chang competit potenti accompani increas acquisit fiat magneti marelli ceac market potenti germani larg restrict compani financi strength regard fiat spare capac reason restrict market potenti fiat ceac physic presenc german market german brand dispos margin distribut network fiat ceac consid germani kind nich supplier wholesal special distribut french italian automot part respect regard real altern supplier market varta bosch deta mareg hoppeck tudor hagen sonnenschein offer brand distribut network acquisit sonnenschein market potenti weaker market share face consider financi difficulti confront ecolog problem plan reduc product capac exist full capac concentr fiat ceac sonnenschein creat substanti synergi effect give rise expect competit potenti entiti import current market share achiev merger fiat compens competit shortcom access german brand distribut channel improv market access fiat financi strength spare capac time impact german market due merger fiat ceac sonnenschein strong competitor emerg competit potenti significantli larger sum separ potenti compani merger end cooper deta mareg end cooper varta deta mareg influenc competit relationship group sens deta mareg independ oper german market enter effect competit entiti varta bosch deta mareg belong varta herbert quandt group compani group split result varta deta mareg separ control member quandt famili inform commiss group link cross sharehold mean establish legal relationship factual element consid influenc competit relationship group compani firstli overlap membership supervisori board group varta deta mareg conclud automat renew licenc agreement complex exce licenc agreement commonli exist produc industri agreement found refer specif technic applic area compris commit cooper full scale rang mutual exchang product process product develop respect patent intellectu properti right exchang amp technic support form exchang expert respect product facil agreement state influenc varta possess deta mareg comprehens technic cooper person link supervisori board relationship mutual consider maintain exclud effect competit compani sale market dissolut comprehens agreement varta deta mareg consid break cooper relationship group lead deta mareg independ produc market complex licenc agreement consid factual chang achiev dissolut account transit period compani involv adapt futur termin cooper respect envisag dissolut effect strategi competit concept compani impact competit factual increas market potenti fiat german market dissolut cooper relationship varta deta mareg give rise expect merger varta bosch appreci scope action uncontrol competitor statement object creation domin posit entiti german market conclud basi apprais number structur market criteria primarili favour strong market posit compani addit market share lead competitor account fact competitor entiti term market share small medium size compani financi strength smaller product capac strongest competitor deta mareg market share consid independ competitor relat varta bosch comprehens cooper link varta account big european competitor fiat ceac margin repres germani expect gain import lack physic presenc german market structur condit factual forc market share varta bosch lead competitor remain high entiti face futur competit environ respect fiat varta bosch strongest competitor term market share futur number competit paramet past access nation produc varta bosch hoppeck deta mareg tudor hagen fiat offer establish german brand downstream market significantli character brand prefer fiat sonnenschein network physic presenc german market react rapid flexibl client demand enlarg access sale market take advantag sonnenschein tradit suppli relationship scope action fiat market significantli open sens competit move segment market improv access sonnenschein market give fiat ceac choic signific extent financi strength spare capac german market restrict clientel previous high combin market share varta bosch structur factor support creation domin market posit factual structur factor favour import competitor result doubt market share current lead competitor suffici prove domin posit deta mareg independ player futur german market complex licenc agreement termin cooper overlap membership supervisori board consid signific fact link termin period time contradict apprais enabl deta mareg group adapt commerci strategi situat foster develop independ player cooper partner competitor market expect dissolut process start futur adapt post cooper period acceler specif dynam expect integr laender german economi conclus condit commiss deem concentr varta bosch compat common market adopt decis articl propos concentr notifi varta batteri ag robert bosch gmbh declar compat common market subject oblig set articl articl order ensur independ deta mareg varta bosch oblig attach decis varta termin licenc agreement deta mareg earliest termin date agreement termin decemb come effect termin intellectu properti right termin licenc agreement starter batteri conclud consent commiss varta ensur overlap membership board supervisori manag board varta deta mareg oblig forc appoint varta supervisori board summer purpos articl varta mean varta ag varta batteri ag compani control part varta group ii deta mareg mean delton ag ceag industri aktien und anlagen ag deta akkumulatorenwerk gmbh mareg akkumulatoren gmbh compani control delton ceag deta mareg group compani articl decis address varta batteri ag leineuf hannov robert bosch gmbh stuttgart brussel juli commiss leon brittan vice presid oj amend version oj oj publish version decis inform hereinaft omit pursuant provis articl regul eec disclosur busi secret ecr