# C_2012297EN.01000401.xml

| 3.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 297/4 |
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3.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 297/4

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6733 — Ageas/Groupama Insurance Company)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2012/C 297/05

| 1. | On 24 September 2012, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Ageas (UK) Limited (‘Ageas UK’, United Kingdom), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ageas SA/NV (‘Ageas’, Belgium) acquires, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation, sole control of the whole of Groupama Insurance Company Limited (‘Groupama UK’, United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 24 September 2012, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Ageas (UK) Limited (‘Ageas UK’, United Kingdom), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ageas SA/NV (‘Ageas’, Belgium) acquires, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation, sole control of the whole of Groupama Insurance Company Limited (‘Groupama UK’, United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares.

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






  — | for Ageas: provider of insurance services to personal, business and institutional customers and delivers packages of financial products and services through its own channel, and via intermediaries and other partners, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Ageas: provider of insurance services to personal, business and institutional customers and delivers packages of financial products and services through its own channel, and via intermediaries and other partners,

| — | for Ageas UK: non-life insurance, |
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for Ageas UK: non-life insurance,

| — | for Groupama UK: non-life insurer with a diversified book of business that provides products predominantly in the UK and, to a lesser extent, Ireland. |
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for Groupama UK: non-life insurer with a diversified book of business that provides products predominantly in the UK and, to a lesser extent, Ireland.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC 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 EC Merger Regulation (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 the EC 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 EC Merger Regulation (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 22964301), by e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6733 — Ageas/Groupama Insurance Company, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| J-70 |
| 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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6733 — Ageas/Groupama Insurance Company, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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

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(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).

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