The creation of a third Spanish mobile operator (Retevision Movil S.A.) authorised

On 1.10.98, the Commission received the notification of a proposed concentration by which Telecom Italia, together with the Spanish electricity group ENDESA and Union Fenosa, will acquire joint control of Retevision Movil SA, the future third Spanish operator in mobile telephony. This operation is the consequence of a global strategy of the parties to create a universal telecommunications operator in Spain.

This operation, in line with the Commission Directives for liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, will force competition of the two present operators in Spain ( Telefonica and Airtel) with Retevision Movil. Given that this last is a new operator created by companies without prior involvement in the Spanish mobile phone market, the operation raises no competitive aspects.