The French Minister of Economy grants unconditional clearance to a merger in the press sector (Le Monde / Hachette Fillipacchi)

In its decision dated 6 October 2006, the French Minister of Economy (the Minister) unconditionally cleared the acquisition by the Société Éditrice du Monde (SEM) of Hachette Fillipacchi Médias group's “South Pôle” (i. e. its activities located in the southern part of France) through the medium of two ad hoc companies created for the purposes of this acquisition. The purpose of this concentration was to create a regional group gathering the regional press activities in the southern part of France of both the Le Monde group and Hachette Fillipachi Médias group (HFM). The notion of control Pursuant to the proposed structure of the concentration notified (including draft articles of association, draft shareholders' agreement and a draft letter of intent entered into between SEM and