196. The case was also of interest in view of the detailed efficiency claims laid down by the parties. These related to the substantial cost savings that AREVA would achieve by being able to adopt the modern centrifuge technology of Urenco. The Commission had doubts on the merger specificity of these claims. However, for the purpose of the decision, the Commission’s concerns were removed by the commitments proposed by the parties.

196. Il-każ kien ukoll interessanti għall-pretensjonijiet dettaljati dwar l-effiċjenza li għamlu l-partijiet. Dawn kienu relatati ma'l-iffrankar sostanzjali ta'l-ispejjeż li kellha tikseb l-AREVA billi tkun tista'tadotta t-teknoloġija ċentrifuga moderna ta'l-Urenco. Il-Kummissjoni kellha xi dubji dwar kemm dawn il-pretensjonijiet kienu speċifiċi għall-amalgamazzjoni. Madanakollu, għall-fini tad-Deċiżjoni, l-inkwiet tal-Kummissjoni tneħħa permezz ta'l-impenji li pproponew il-partijiet.

195. The operation was jointly referred to the Commission by France, Sweden and Germany in April. The Commission’s investigation identified competition concerns in the downstream market for enriched uranium. The Commission was concerned that the proposed concentration could lead to the creation of a joint dominant position in the European Union, in particular given that ETC could be used by AREVA and Urenco to coordinate, through the exercise of their respective veto rights, their capacity developments.

195. Franza, l-Isvezja u l-Ġermanja rreferew l-operazzjoni b’mod konġunt lill-Kumissjoni f’April 2004. L-investigazzjoni tal-Kummissjoni identifikat tħassib dwar il-kompetizzjoni fis-suq eqreb lejn il-punt tal-bejgħ (downstream) għall-uranju arrikkit. Il-Kummissjoni kienet inkwetata li l-konċentrazzjoni proposta setgħet twassal għall-ħolqien ta'pożizzjoni dominanti konġunta fl-Unjoni Ewropea, b’mod partikolari minħabba li l-ETC setgħet tintuża mill-AREVA u mill-Urenco biex jikkoordinaw, permezz ta'l-eżerċizzju tad-drittijiet rispettivi tagħhom għall-veto, l-iżviluppi tagħhom tal-kapaċità.

197. By these commitments, submitted at an early stage in Phase II, AREVA and Urenco first undertook to remove their respective veto rights in relation to future capacity expansions. Secondly, the flow of commercially sensitive information between ETC and its parents will be prevented by a series of measures which will be closely monitored. Thirdly, the parties have committed themselves to supplying the European Supply Agency (ESA) with additional information, which will enable ESA to more closely monitor the provision and pricing of enriched uranium and to respond, if necessary.

197. B’dawn l-impenji, mressqa fi stadju bikri tal-Fażi 2, AREVA u Urenco l-ewwelnett intrabtu li jneħħu d-drittijiet rispettivi tagħhom tal-veto fejn għandhom x’jaqsmu l-espansjonijiet tal-kapaċitajiet fil-futur. It-tieni, il-fluss ta'informazzjoni li hija kummerċjalment sensittiva bejn l-ETC u l-kumpaniji parents tagħha ser jitwaqqaf b’serje ta'miżuri li se jiġu mmonitorjati mill-qrib. It-tielet, il-partijiet impenjaw irwieħhom li jipprovdu lill-Aġenzija Ewropea tal-Provvisti (“ESA” – European Supply Agency) b’informazzjoni addizzjonali, li se jagħtiha l-opportunità timmonitorja aktar mill-qrib il-proviżjon u l-ipprezzar ta'l-uranju arrikkit u jekk ikun meħtieġ, li tirrispondi.

194. AREVA, the French nuclear group, and Urenco, a company set up by the governments of the UK, the Netherlands and Germany, are the main European providers of uranium enrichment services which are needed to produce fuel for nuclear power plants. By this transaction, AREVA acquires joint control over Enrichment Technology Company (ETC) , Urenco’s subsidiary active in the development and manufacturing of centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Centrifuge technology offers significant advantages over the older gas diffusion technology currently used by AREVA. ETC is to supply both its parents and third parties with centrifuge equipment.

194. AREVA, il-grupp nukleari Franċiż, u Urenco, kumpanija stabbilita mill-gvernijiet tar-Renju Unit, ta'l-Olanda u tal-Ġermanja, huma l-fornituri Ewropej ewlenin tas-servizzi għall-arrikkiment ta'l-uranju li huma meħtieġa biex jiġi provdut il-fjuwil għall-impjanti ta'l-enerġija nukleari. B’din it-tranżazzjoni, l-AREVA jikseb kontroll konġunt fuq l-Enrichment Technology Company (ETC) , is-sussidjarja ta'Urenco li hija attiva fl-iżvilupp u fil-manifattura tal-magni ċentrifugi użati biex jarrikkixxu l-uranju. It-teknoloġija ċentrifuga toffri vantaġgi sinifikanti fuq it-teknoloġija eqdem tad-diffużjoni tal-gass li bħalissa qed tintuża mill-AREVA. L-ETC għandha tipprovdi liż-żewġ parents tagħha u lil partijiet terzi b’tagħmir ċentrifugu.

AREVA/Urenco/ETC JV -OJ C 141, 25.5.2004 -195 -

AREVA/urenco/ETC JV -ĠU C 141 tal-25.5.2004 -194 -

AREVA/Urenco/ETC JV[154]

AREVA/Urenco/ETC JV[154]