# C_2012136EN.01001001.xml

| 11.5.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 136/10 |
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11.5.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 136/10

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6511 — Solvay/Air Liquide/JV)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2012/C 136/07

| 1. | On 2 May 2012, 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 Solvay SA (‘Solvay’, Belgium) and Air Liquide International (‘Air Liquide’, France) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of a newly created company constituting a joint venture (‘the JV’, Belgium) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 2 May 2012, 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 Solvay SA (‘Solvay’, Belgium) and Air Liquide International (‘Air Liquide’, France) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of a newly created company constituting a joint venture (‘the JV’, Belgium) by way of purchase of shares.

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






  — | Solvay is the parent of a group of companies which are internationally active in the research, development, production, marketing and sale of chemicals and plastics, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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Solvay is the parent of a group of companies which are internationally active in the research, development, production, marketing and sale of chemicals and plastics,

| — | Air Liquide is active in the production and supply of industrial gases and the supply of associated services to various industries, |
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Air Liquide is active in the production and supply of industrial gases and the supply of associated services to various industries,

| — | the JV will finance, build, operate and service Fluorine gas production facilities located on or adjacent to a customer site for the supply of F2 by pipeline to customers in the photovoltaic industry and the flat panel display industry mainly located in Asia. |
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the JV will finance, build, operate and service Fluorine gas production facilities located on or adjacent to a customer site for the supply of F2 by pipeline to customers in the photovoltaic industry and the flat panel display industry mainly located in Asia.

| 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 email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6511 — Solvay/Air Liquide/JV, 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 email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6511 — Solvay/Air Liquide/JV, 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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