# C_2015246EN.01000601.xml

| 28.7.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 246/6 |
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28.7.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 246/6

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7700 — Apax Partners/RFS Holland Holding)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 246/09)

| 1. | On 17 July 2015 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(s) Apax Partner LLP (‘AP’, United Kingdom), indirectly through the fund Apax VIII and its affiliates, acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking RFS Holland Holding B.V. (‘RFS’, the Netherlands) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 17 July 2015 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(s) Apax Partner LLP (‘AP’, United Kingdom), indirectly through the fund Apax VIII and its affiliates, acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking RFS Holland Holding B.V. (‘RFS’, the Netherlands) by way of purchase of shares.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for AP: investment advisory services to private equity funds investing in a range of industry sectors,
  —   for RFS: online retail, predominantly in the Netherlands, through online retailers such as Wehkamp, FonQ and Create 2 Fit. Its subsidiary Lacent provides credit facilities to Wehkamp customers. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for AP: investment advisory services to private equity funds investing in a range of industry sectors,

for AP

—   for RFS: online retail, predominantly in the Netherlands, through online retailers such as Wehkamp, FonQ and Create 2 Fit. Its subsidiary Lacent provides credit facilities to Wehkamp customers.

for RFS

| 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.7700 — Apax Partners/RFS Holland 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 email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7700 — Apax Partners/RFS Holland 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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