# C_2017035EN.01000401.xml

| 3.2.2017 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 35/4 |
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3.2.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 35/4

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8357 — Asahi/AB InBev CEE Divestment Business)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2017/C 35/05)

| 1. | On 26 January 2017, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd (‘Asahi Group’, Japan) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the business comprising certain brands and assets currently belonging to Anheuser-Busch InBev NV/SA (‘AB InBev’, Belgium) in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia (the ‘AB InBev CEE Business’) by way of purchase of shares and assets. |
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1.

On 26 January 2017, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd (‘Asahi Group’, Japan) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the business comprising certain brands and assets currently belonging to Anheuser-Busch InBev NV/SA (‘AB InBev’, Belgium) in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia (the ‘AB InBev CEE Business’) by way of purchase of shares and assets.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for the Asahi Group: alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages and food products, the core of its business being beer,
  —   for the AB InBev CEE Business: certain beer brands and assets currently belonging to AB InBev in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for the Asahi Group: alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages and food products, the core of its business being beer,

for the Asahi Group

—   for the AB InBev CEE Business: certain beer brands and assets currently belonging to AB InBev in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

for the AB InBev CEE Business

| 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. |
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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.

| 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.8357 — Asahi/AB InBev CEE Divestment Business, 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.8357 — Asahi/AB InBev CEE Divestment Business, 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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