# C_2015323EN.01000601.xml

| 1.10.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 323/6 |
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1.10.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 323/6

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7788 — Ardian/Electricité de France/Géosel)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 323/07)

| 1. | On 22 September 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 undertakings Ardian France SAS (‘Ardian’, France) and Electricité de France SA (‘EDF’, France) indirectly acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Géosel Manosque SAS (‘Géosel’, France) by way of a purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 22 September 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 undertakings Ardian France SAS (‘Ardian’, France) and Electricité de France SA (‘EDF’, France) indirectly acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Géosel Manosque SAS (‘Géosel’, France) by way of a purchase of shares.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for Ardian: the global provision of private equity and asset management activities in relation to, amongst others, the healthcare, infrastructure, energy, consumer goods and new technologies sectors,
  —   for EDF: the generation and wholesale supply of electricity, the transmission, distribution and retail supply of electricity, the provision of other electricity-related services as well as the wholesale and retail sale of natural gas,
  —   for Géosel: the underground storage and transportation of hydrocarbons in France. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for Ardian: the global provision of private equity and asset management activities in relation to, amongst others, the healthcare, infrastructure, energy, consumer goods and new technologies sectors,

for Ardian

—   for EDF: the generation and wholesale supply of electricity, the transmission, distribution and retail supply of electricity, the provision of other electricity-related services as well as the wholesale and retail sale of natural gas,

for EDF

—   for Géosel: the underground storage and transportation of hydrocarbons in France.

for Géosel

| 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.7788 — Ardian/Electricité de France/Géosel, 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.7788 — Ardian/Electricité de France/Géosel, 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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