23. 5.9 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 131/27 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 8 May 1990 authorizing the acquisition of the entire share capital of C. Walker and Sons (Holdings) Ltd by British Steel plc (Only the English text is authentic) (90/234/ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 66 thereof, Having regard to Decision No 24-54 of 6 May 1954 laying down in implementation of Article 66 (1) of.the ECSC Treaty a regulation on what constitutes control of an undertaking ('), Having regard to the request made by British Steel plc, London, on 5 October 1989 for authorization to acquire the entire issued share capital of C. Walker and ‘Sons (Holdings), Blackburn, Having consulted - the Governments of the United Kingdom and of Ireland, Whereas : I. THE PARTIES (1)° British Steel plc (BS) is a public. company quoted on the London International Stock Exchange with an issued share capital of £ 1000 million. Its main - activities are the production and: distribution of ECSC steel products. In addition it also manufac- tures and - distributes a range of products not covered by the ECSC Tréaty and operates in the shipping and consultancy sectors. BS is therefore an ECSC undertaking as defined by Article 80 of - the ECSC Treaty. (2)  In the year to 31 -March 1989 BS had a turnover of £ 4906 million of which £ 634 million related to - stockholding, £ 340 million in the United Kingdom and £ 294 million elsewhere in the Euro- pean Communities. () OJ No 9, 11. 5. 1954, p. 345/54. ) “ 3 (6) ? In addition to its own subsidiaries BS is-concen- trated with a-number of-other producers-and distri- butors : ASW Holdings Group: 20 % shareholding United Engineering Steels: 50 % shareholding United Merchant Bar: 25 % bshareholding DSRM Group : 50 % shareholding Templeborough Rolling Mills : 50 % shareholding C. Walker and Sons (Holdings) Ltd (Walkers) is a private United Kingdom company with a paid-up share capital of £ 3,5 million whose principal acti- vity is the distribution of both ECSC and non- ECSC steel products. Walkers also-has manufactu- ring activities, financial services and an airline operation. This last activity is not included in the assets to be acquired by BS. Walkers is thus also an ECSC undertaking as defined by. Article 80. In the year to 3 June 1989 Walkers' turnover for the activities to be acquired by BS was. £ 622 million of which £ 596 million related to stockhol- ding. Of this total £ 531 million were realized in the United Kingdom and £ 65 million in Ireland. II. THE NATURE OF THE TAKEOVER - BS intends to acquire the entire-issued share capital of Walkers thereby bringing about a concentration within the meaning of Decision No 24-54. IIL RELEVANT MARKETS Large steel stockholders, such as BS and Walkers, carry a very wide range of steel products, both those covered- by the. ECSC Treaty and -those falling under the EEC Treaty: The most important product categories are sections, plate, hot- and cold-rolled strip, coated sheet, stainless sheet and merchant bars. These are defined as the ‘ECSC stockholders