# C_2014383EN.01001801.xml

| 29.10.2014 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 383/18 |
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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7401 — Blackstone/Alliance BV/Alliance Automotive Group)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2014/C 383/07)

| 1. | On 22 October 2014, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004( 1 ) by which The Blackstone Group L.P. (‘Blackstone’, US) and Alliance Industries B.V. (‘Alliance BV’, Luxembourg) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Alliance Automotive Group (‘AAG’, France), by way of purchase of shares. |
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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:
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Blackstone is a global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services which operates as an investment management firm. It holds a number of participations in various sectors. One of its portfolio companies is Gates. Gates manufactures and supplies among others spare parts to the automotive sector. —
Alliance BV is a holding company. In addition to its participation in AAG, it has participations in other companies active in the distribution of boat spare parts and various products and services for boatyards. —
AAG is a wholesale distributor of automotive spare parts with both trading and distribution activities. The trading activity is in charge of the supply of spare parts through purchasing entities. The distribution activity consists of selling spare parts on both the wholesale and retail levels. | — | Blackstone is a global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services which operates as an investment management firm. It holds a number of participations in various sectors. One of its portfolio companies is Gates. Gates manufactures and supplies among others spare parts to the automotive sector. | — | Alliance BV is a holding company. In addition to its participation in AAG, it has participations in other companies active in the distribution of boat spare parts and various products and services for boatyards. | — | AAG is a wholesale distributor of automotive spare parts with both trading and distribution activities. The trading activity is in charge of the supply of spare parts through purchasing entities. The distribution activity consists of selling spare parts on both the wholesale and retail levels. |
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| — | Blackstone is a global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services which operates as an investment management firm. It holds a number of participations in various sectors. One of its portfolio companies is Gates. Gates manufactures and supplies among others spare parts to the automotive sector. | | | | | | |
| — | Alliance BV is a holding company. In addition to its participation in AAG, it has participations in other companies active in the distribution of boat spare parts and various products and services for boatyards. | | | | | | |
| — | AAG is a wholesale distributor of automotive spare parts with both trading and distribution activities. The trading activity is in charge of the supply of spare parts through purchasing entities. The distribution activity consists of selling spare parts on both the wholesale and retail levels. | | | | | | |

| 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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| 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 M.7401 — Blackstone/Alliance BV/Alliance Automotive Group, to the following address:
European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË | European Commission | Directorate-General for Competition | Merger Registry | 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel | BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
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| 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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