# C_2015229EN.01001301.xml

| 14.7.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 229/13 |
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14.7.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 229/13

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7696 — Lone Star/Balta)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 229/10)

| 1. | On 3 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 Lone Star Funds belonging to the Lone Star Group (‘Lone Star’, United States/Bermuda) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Balta Finance S.ár.l, the holding company of the Balta Group (‘Balta’, Luxembourg) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 3 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 Lone Star Funds belonging to the Lone Star Group (‘Lone Star’, United States/Bermuda) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Balta Finance S.ár.l, the holding company of the Balta Group (‘Balta’, Luxembourg) by way of purchase of shares.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for Lone Star: investment in real estate equity, credit and other financial assets,
  —   for Balta: manufacturing and sale of textile floor coverings. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for Lone Star: investment in real estate equity, credit and other financial assets,

for Lone Star

—   for Balta: manufacturing and sale of textile floor coverings.

for Balta

| 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. |
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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 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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.7696 — Lone Star/Balta, 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 M.7696 — Lone Star/Balta, 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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