16. 3. 96 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 66/17 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 20 September 1995 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case IV/M.582 — Orkla/Volvo) (Only the English text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (96/204/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings ('), and in particular Article 8 (2) thereof, Having regard to the EEA Agreement, and in particular Article 57 (1) thereof, Having regard to the Commission decision of 23 May 1995 to initiate proceedings in the case, Having given the undertakings concerned the opportunity to make known their views on the objections raised by the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the Advisory Committee on Concentrations (%), Whereas: (1)  On 18 April 1995 AB Fortos and Orkla AS notified the Commission of a proposed concentration by which they intend to combine their respective beverage interests into a new joint venture. (2)  After examination of the notification the Commis- sion has concluded that the notified concentration falls within the scope of Regulation (EC) No (*) OJ No L 395, 30. 12. 1989. Corrigendum: OJ No L 257, 21. 9. 1990, p. 13. (3 OJ No C 76, 16. 3. 1996, p. 14. &) ) ©) 4064/89 and falls to be assessed by the Commis- sion in cooperation with the EFTA Surveillance Authority in accordance with Article 58 of and Protocol 24 to the EEA Agreement. I. THE PARTIES AB Fortos (‘Fortos’) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AB Volvo (‘'Volvo’), the Swedish motor vehicle group. Fortos, in turn is owner of BCP Branded Consumer Products AB (‘BCP) which owns AB Pripps, Bryggerier (‘Pripps’), a Swedish beverage company, and Hansa Bryggeri A/S (‘Hansa)) another beverage company which is based in and operates in Norway. Fortos is also the owner of Falcon Bryggerier AB (‘Falcon’) which is a company producing beer, soft drinks and mineral water in Sweden. Orkla AS (‘Orkla’) is a Norwegian company whose activities are concentrated in branded consumer products, chemicals and financial investments. Orkla owns the whole of the share capital of Ringnes A/S (‘Ringnes’), a Norwegian beverage producer. II. THE OPERATION The operation involves the creation, by Fortos and Orkla, of a jointly-owned beverage company ‘BCP-JV’. This will be achieved by the creation of a