# C_2014042EN.01000801.xml

| 13.2.2014 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 42/8 |
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13.2.2014

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/8

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.7150 — Apollo/Ulster Bank/Arnotts)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2014/C 42/08)

| 1. | On 4 February 2014, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which affiliates of Apollo Management LP (‘Apollo’, USA), and Ulster Bank Ireland Limited (‘Ulster Bank’, Ireland) belonging to the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc (UK) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Arnotts Holdings Limited (‘Arnotts’, Ireland) by other means. |
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1.

On 4 February 2014, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which affiliates of Apollo Management LP (‘Apollo’, USA), and Ulster Bank Ireland Limited (‘Ulster Bank’, Ireland) belonging to the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc (UK) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Arnotts Holdings Limited (‘Arnotts’, Ireland) by other means.

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






  — | for Apollo: portfolio investment, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Apollo: portfolio investment,

| — | for Ulster Bank: retail and corporate banking, |
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for Ulster Bank: retail and corporate banking,

| — | for Arnotts: non-specialised retail stores in Ireland. |
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for Arnotts: non-specialised retail stores in 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 email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.7150 — Apollo/Ulster Bank/Arnotts, 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 number COMP/M.7150 — Apollo/Ulster Bank/Arnotts, 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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