7.4.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 103/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 29 September 1999 declaring a concentration compatible with the common market and the EEA Agreement (Case No IV/M.1383 — Exxon/Mobil) (notified under document number C(1999) 3093) (Only the English text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2004/284[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 57 thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (!), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/ 97 (3, and in particular Article 8(2) thereof, Having regard to the Commission decision of 9 June 1999 to initiate proceedings in this 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 3 May 1999, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration by which the US undertak- ings Exxon Corporation and Mobil Corporation were to merge their activities worldwide. (') OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 1; corrected version published in OJ L 257, 21.9.1990, p. 13. () OJ L 180, 9.7.1997, p. 1. () O] C 87, 7.4.2004. ) (4) On 2 June 1999, the United Kingdom notified the Commission in accordance with Article 9(2)(b) of Regu- lation (EEC) No 4064/89 (hereinafter referred to as the Merger Regulation) that it considered that the concentra- tion affected competition in the northwest of Scotland in the retail motor fuel sector. On 26 July 1999, the Commission issued a statement of objections identifying, inter alia, competition concerns in the market for motor fuel retailing in the whole of the United Kingdom. On 10 August 1999 the Commission informed the United Kingdom that in those circumstances and in accordance with Article 9(4)(b) of the Merger Regulation there were no grounds for referring the case to its authorities. By decision dated 9 June 1999, the Commission found that the notified operation raised serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market. The Commis- sion accordingly initiated proceedings in this case pursuant to Article 6(1)(c) of the Merger Regulation. I. THE PARTIES AND THE OPERATION Exxon Corporation (Exxon) is a diversified company active worldwide in the exploration, development, production and sale of crude oil and natural gas, the refining and sale of refined petroleum products the development, production and sale of various chemical products, the production and sale of coal and minerals and power generation. Mobil Corporation (Mobil) is a