# m8895.docx

| | EUROPEAN COMMISSION |
| --- | --- |

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 25.5.2018

PUBLIC VERSION

C(2018) 3380 final

C(2018) 3380 final

To the notifying parties:

To the notifying parties:

Subject:Case M.8895 - 3i GROUP / FSI / HERMES / SCANDLINES 

  Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004
  1
  and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area
  2

Subject

:

Case

M.8895 - 3i GROUP / FSI / HERMES / SCANDLINES

Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1

)(

b) of Council Regulation (EC)

No

139/2004

1

and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area

2

Dear Sir or Madam,

Dear Sir or Madam,

1.On 25 April 2018, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which the undertakings 3i Group plc (‘3i’, United Kingdom), First State Investments International Limited (‘FSI’, Australia) and Hermes GPE LLP, belonging to Hermes Investment Management Group (‘Hermes’, United Kingdom), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation, by way of purchase of shares, joint control of Scandlines Holding ApS (‘Scandlines’, Denmark).
  3

1.

On 25 April 2018, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which the undertakings 3i Group plc (‘3i’, United Kingdom), First State Investments International Limited (‘FSI’, Australia) and Hermes GPE LLP, belonging to Hermes Investment Management Group (‘Hermes’, United Kingdom), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation, by way of purchase of shares, joint control of

Scandlines

Holding

ApS

(‘

Scandlines

’, Denmark)

.

3

2.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-for 3i: international investor and investment management business focused on
     midmarket private equity and infrastructure investments;

-

for 3i: international investor and investment management business focused on

midmarket private equity and infrastructure investments;

-for FSI: asset management division of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia;

-

for FSI: asset management division of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia;

-for Hermes: UK investment manager specialising in developing bespoke and
     diversified private equity and infrastructure portfolios on behalf of its clients;

-

for Hermes: UK investment manager specialising in developing bespoke and

diversified private equity and infrastructure portfolios on behalf of its clients;

-for Scandlines: provision of ferry services for passengers and freight on two short-
     distance routes between Germany and Denmark.

-

for

Scandlines

: provision of ferry services for passengers and freight on two short-

distance routes between Germany and Denmark.

3.After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraph 5(b) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.
  4

3.

After examination of the notification, the

European

Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of

the

Merger

Regulation

and of

paragraph 5

(

b

)

of

the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under

Council Regulation (EC)

No

139/2004

.

4

4.For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement.

4.

For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the

European

Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the

internal

market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1

)(

b) of

the

Merger

Regulation

and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement

.

For the Commission

For the Commission

(Signed)

  Johannes LAITENBERGER
  Director-General

(Signed)

Johannes LAITENBERGER

Director

-

General

(1)


     OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the 'Merger Regulation'). With effect from 1 December 2009, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ('TFEU') has introduced certain changes, such as the replacement of 'Community' by 'Union' and 'common market' by 'internal market'. The terminology of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.

OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.