Press Release: Mergers: Commission refers Blackstone acquisition of NHP in the UK care homes market to the UK competition authority

In response to a request from the UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT - the UK competition authority), the European Commission decided on 2 February 2005 to refer to the OFT the competence to assess the impact of the acquisition of UK based NHP plc by the US Blackstone Group. Both parties were active in the UK private care home market for the elderly. The Commission decided to refer the case as the concentration affected competition in a distinct market within the territory of the UK that did not form a substantial part of the common market.

Blackstone Group: Press releases: 29.11.04 http://www.blackstone.com/news/press_releases/11-29-04.pdf

NHP plc: Homepage http://www.nhprops.co.uk/index.phtml

---