# C_2015399EN.01000301.xml

| 1.12.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 399/3 |
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1.12.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 399/3

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7795 — Ratos/Varma/Real Estate JV)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 399/03)

| 1. | On 23 November 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Ratos AB (‘Ratos’ of Sweden) and Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company (‘Varma’ of Finland), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation indirect joint control of a real estate property portfolio by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 23 November 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Ratos AB (‘Ratos’ of Sweden) and Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company (‘Varma’ of Finland), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation indirect joint control of a real estate property portfolio by way of purchase of shares.

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






  — | Ratos is a private equity conglomerate active in a number of sectors, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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Ratos is a private equity conglomerate active in a number of sectors,

| — | Varma is a Finnish mutual pension insurance company owned by its client companies and self-employed persons, insured employees and owners of the guarantee capital, |
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Varma is a Finnish mutual pension insurance company owned by its client companies and self-employed persons, insured employees and owners of the guarantee capital,

| — | the real estate portfolio comprises 22 retail properties located in 14 municipalities in Finland. |
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the real estate portfolio comprises 22 retail properties located in 14 municipalities in Finland.

| 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. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice. |
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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. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this 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 M.7795 — Ratos/Varma/Real Estate JV, 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 M.7795 — Ratos/Varma/Real Estate JV, 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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