# C_2017200EN.01002801.xml

| 23.6.2017 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 200/28 |
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23.6.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 200/28

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8532 — Blackstone Group/Sponda)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2017/C 200/11)

| 1. | On 15 June 2017, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Blackstone Group L.P. (“Blackstone”, USA) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation indirect sole control of Sponda Plc (“Sponda”, Finland) by means of a tender offer. |
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1.

On 15 June 2017, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Blackstone Group L.P. (“Blackstone”, USA) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation indirect sole control of Sponda Plc (“Sponda”, Finland) by means of a tender offer.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for Blackstone: global asset manager. It is headquartered in the United States and has offices in Europe and Asia.
  —   for Sponda: a Finnish public real estate investment company that specializes in leasing business premises and developing and owning properties. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for Blackstone: global asset manager. It is headquartered in the United States and has offices in Europe and Asia.

for Blackstone

—   for Sponda: a Finnish public real estate investment company that specializes in leasing business premises and developing and owning properties.

for Sponda

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the 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 this Notice. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the 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 this 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 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8532 — Blackstone Group/Sponda to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

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 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8532 — Blackstone Group/Sponda to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

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(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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