# C_2015348EN.01000801.xml

| 21.10.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 348/8 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

21.10.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 348/8

---

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7729 — Willis Group/Towers Watson & Co.)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 348/12)

| 1. | On 13 October 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Willis Group Holdings plc (‘Willis’, Ireland), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation, sole control of the whole of Towers Watson & Co. (‘Towers Watson’, USA). |
| --- | --- |

1.

On 13 October 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Willis Group Holdings plc (‘Willis’, Ireland), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation, sole control of the whole of Towers Watson & Co. (‘Towers Watson’, USA).

1

| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   Willis: global provider of insurance brokerage and risk management consulting,
  —   Towers Watson: global provider of consulting, technology and solutions in benefits, talent management and rewards, risk and financial services, and exchange solutions. |
| --- | --- |

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   Willis: global provider of insurance brokerage and risk management consulting,

Willis

—   Towers Watson: global provider of consulting, technology and solutions in benefits, talent management and rewards, risk and financial services, and exchange solutions.

Towers Watson

| 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 this Notice. |
| --- | --- |

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 this Notice.

2

| 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.7729 — Willis Group/Towers Watson & Co., to the following address:





  European Commission |
| --- | --- |
| 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.7729 — Willis Group/Towers Watson & Co., to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

---

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

1

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

2

---