# C_2007109EN.01002901.xml

| 15.5.2007 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 109/29 |
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15.5.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 109/29

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.4656 — Deutsche Bank/Aviva/Blackstone/Vitus)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/C 109/16)

| 1. | On 2 May 2007, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Deutsche Bank AG (‘Deutsche Bank’, Germany), Aviva plc (‘Aviva’, United Kingdom) and the Blackstone Group (‘Blackstone’, United States) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the Vitus Group (‘Vitus’, Germany), currently solely controlled by Blackstone, by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture. |
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1.

On 2 May 2007, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Deutsche Bank AG (‘Deutsche Bank’, Germany), Aviva plc (‘Aviva’, United Kingdom) and the Blackstone Group (‘Blackstone’, United States) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of the Vitus Group (‘Vitus’, Germany), currently solely controlled by Blackstone, by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






  — | for Deutsche Bank: a global investment bank; |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Deutsche Bank: a global investment bank;

| — | for Aviva: a holding company of an insurance group; |
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for Aviva: a holding company of an insurance group;

| — | for Blackstone: mainly active in financial advisory services, private equity investing and property investment; |
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for Blackstone: mainly active in financial advisory services, private equity investing and property investment;

| — | for the Vitus Group: owning, managing and letting mostly residential property as well as some commercial properties, the group comprises seven German real estate companies: BRE/GEWG GmbH — Düsseldorf, Beamten-Baugesellschaft Bremen GmbH — Bremen, Bremische Gesellschaft für Stadterneuerung, Stadtentwickling und Wohnungsbau mbH — Bremen, Kieler Wohnungsbaubesellschaft mbH — Kiel, GAB Gladbacher Baugesellschaft mbH — Mönchengladbach, RSTE Objektgesellschaft Whonanglagen für Chemnitz mbH — Wuppertal and VITUS GmbH — Mönchengladbach. |
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for the Vitus Group: owning, managing and letting mostly residential property as well as some commercial properties, the group comprises seven German real estate companies: BRE/GEWG GmbH — Düsseldorf, Beamten-Baugesellschaft Bremen GmbH — Bremen, Bremische Gesellschaft für Stadterneuerung, Stadtentwickling und Wohnungsbau mbH — Bremen, Kieler Wohnungsbaubesellschaft mbH — Kiel, GAB Gladbacher Baugesellschaft mbH — Mönchengladbach, RSTE Objektgesellschaft Whonanglagen für Chemnitz mbH — Wuppertal and VITUS GmbH — Mönchengladbach.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

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| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.4656 — Deutsche Bank/Aviva/Blackstone/Vitus, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| J-70 |
| B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.4656 — Deutsche Bank/Aviva/Blackstone/Vitus, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.

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