UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rules 13a-16 or 15d-16 under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Dated August 4, 2016
Commission File Number: 001-10086
VODAFONE GROUP
PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
VODAFONE HOUSE, THE CONNECTION, NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE, RG14 2FN, ENGLAND
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F x Form 40-F o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes o No x
If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- .
This Report on Form 6-K contains a news release dated 3 August 2016 entitled ‘VODAFONE GROUP AND LIBERTY GLOBAL WELCOME THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S CLEARANCE FOR THE PROPOSED MERGER OF THEIR DUTCH OPERATIONS’
Vodafone Group and Liberty Global welcome the European Commission’s clearance for the proposed merger of their Dutch operations
Denver, Colorado and London, United Kingdom — August 3, 2016:
Vodafone Group Plc (LSE: VOD) and Liberty Global plc (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) today welcomed the conditional clearance by the European Commission of the two companies’ proposed merger of their operating businesses in the Netherlands to form a 50:50 joint venture.
Following its Phase I investigation, the European Commission concluded that the transaction, as modified by the commitments offered by the parties, does not raise any competition concerns.
The commitments entail a divestment of Vodafone Netherlands’ consumer fixed business, prior to closing of the proposed merger of the two companies’ Dutch operations. This represents a structural remedy offered by the parties to address any concerns regarding the overlap between the fixed telecoms and TV activities of Vodafone and Ziggo in the Netherlands. Having already received a number of expressions of interest, the parties will now proceed with the sale process.
Vodafone Netherlands’ consumer fixed business has a customer base of more than 120,000 with a high triple-play penetration rate. The divestment could potentially also include MVNO access subject to agreement on commercial terms.
ENDS
About Vodafone Group
Vodafone is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies and provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 56 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of 30 June 2016, Vodafone had 465 million mobile customers and 13.7 million fixed broadband customers. For more information, please visit: www.vodafone.com.
About Liberty Global
Liberty Global is the world’s largest international TV and broadband company, with operations in more than 30 countries across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. We invest in the infrastructure that empowers our customers to make the most of the digital revolution. Our scale and commitment to innovation enables us to develop market-leading products delivered through next-generation networks that connect our customers who subscribe to over 59 million1 television, broadband internet and telephony services. We also serve over ten million1 mobile subscribers and offer WiFi service across six million access points.
1 Subscriber statistics for Liberty Global (including the LiLAC Group) and CWC are as of March 31, 2016, and are based on each entity’s subscriber counting policies. CWC’s subscriber counting policies may differ from those of Liberty Global. Accordingly, the combined subscriber statistics are not necessarily indicative of the actual number of subscribers to be reported by the combined operations once CWC conforms to Liberty Global’s subscriber counting policies.
Liberty Global’s businesses are comprised of two stocks: the Liberty Global Group (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) for our European operations, and the LiLAC Group (NASDAQ: LILA and LILAK, OTC Link: LILAB), which consists of our operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Liberty Global Group operates in 12 European countries under the consumer brands Virgin Media, Ziggo, Unitymedia, Telenet and UPC. The LiLAC Group operates in over 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands VTR, Flow, Liberty, Mas Movil and BTC. In addition, the LiLAC Group operates a submarine fiber network throughout the region in over 30 markets.
For more information, please visit www.libertyglobal.com or follow us on twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
About Vodafone Netherlands
Vodafone Netherlands is the second largest mobile telecommunications company in the Netherlands on the basis of turnover and profitability, and had more than 5 million customers at 30 June 2016. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam and Maastricht and has offices in Eindhoven, Capelle aan den IJssel, Bodegraven and Amstelveen IJsselstein. For more information, go to www.vodafone.nl and www.vodafone.com.
About Ziggo
Ziggo is the leading communications and entertainment services provider for consumer and businesses across the Netherlands. As of March 31, 2016, Ziggo provided 9.7 million service subscriptions to its 4.0 million unique customers: 4.0 million video, 3.1 million internet and 2.5 million fixed telephony service subscribers.
In addition, Ziggo supplies 197,000 subscribers with mobile telephony and customers have access to over 2 million WiFiSpots across the Netherlands (Q1 2016). The company’s products and services for the small and large business markets consists of data communications, fixed and mobile telephony and electronic payment systems.
CONTACTS
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Vodafone Group |
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Media Relations |
www.vodafone.com/media/contact | |
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Investor relations |
+44 (0) 7919 990230 |
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Liberty Global |
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Media Relations |
Matt Beake |
+44 208 483 6428 |
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mbeake@libertyglobal.com |
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Investor Relations |
Oskar Nooij |
+1 303 220 4218 |
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Christian Fangmann |
+49 221 8462 5151 |
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John Rea |
+1 303 220 4238 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorised.
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VODAFONE GROUP | |
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PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY | |
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(Registrant) | |
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Dated: August 4, 2016 |
By: |
/s/ R E S MARTIN |
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Name: Rosemary E S Martin | |
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Title: Group General Counsel and Company Secretary | |