# C_2014150EN.01001301.xml

| 17.5.2014 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 150/13 |
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17.5.2014

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 150/13

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7245 — Katara Hospitality/InterContinental Hotels Group/Danube Holding)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2014/C 150/13

| 1. | On 8 May 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 undertaking Katara Hospitality (‘Katara’, Qatar), indirectly controlled by Qatar Investment Authority (‘QIA’, Qatar), and InterContinental Hotels Group plc (‘IHG’, the United Kingdom) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Danube Holding B.V. (‘Danube’, the Netherlands). |
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1.

On 8 May 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 undertaking Katara Hospitality (‘Katara’, Qatar), indirectly controlled by Qatar Investment Authority (‘QIA’, Qatar), and InterContinental Hotels Group plc (‘IHG’, the United Kingdom) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Danube Holding B.V. (‘Danube’, the Netherlands).

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






  — | Katara owns, manages, and develops hotels globally, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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Katara owns, manages, and develops hotels globally,

| — | QIA is the sovereign investment fund of the State of Qatar, |
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QIA is the sovereign investment fund of the State of Qatar,

| — | IHG operates, franchises, and owns hotels on a worldwide basis, |
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IHG operates, franchises, and owns hotels on a worldwide basis,

| — | Danube is a holding company active in the hotel accommodation sector, with five hotels under the InterContinental brand in Amsterdam, Rome, Frankurt, Cannes and Madrid. |
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Danube is a holding company active in the hotel accommodation sector, with five hotels under the InterContinental brand in Amsterdam, Rome, Frankurt, Cannes and Madrid.

| 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 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 M.7245 — Katara Hospitality/InterContinental Hotels Group/Danube Holding, 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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7245 — Katara Hospitality/InterContinental Hotels Group/Danube Holding, 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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