# C_2015139EN.01000401.xml

| 28.4.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 139/4 |
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28.4.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 139/4

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7435 — Merck/Sigma-Aldrich)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 139/04)

| 1. | On 21 April 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Merck KGaA (‘Merck’, Germany) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (‘Sigma-Aldrich’, the United States) by way of purchase of securities. |
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1.

On 21 April 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Merck KGaA (‘Merck’, Germany) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (‘Sigma-Aldrich’, the United States) by way of purchase of securities.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for Merck: a research-driven pharmaceutical and chemical group of companies engaged in the discovery, development, production, sales and marketing of pharmaceutical and chemical products, including life science tools and services;
  —   for Sigma-Aldrich: a global company engaged in the development, production, and sale of life science tools and services as well as chemicals, analytical reagents and labware. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for Merck: a research-driven pharmaceutical and chemical group of companies engaged in the discovery, development, production, sales and marketing of pharmaceutical and chemical products, including life science tools and services;

for Merck

—   for Sigma-Aldrich: a global company engaged in the development, production, and sale of life science tools and services as well as chemicals, analytical reagents and labware.

for Sigma-Aldrich

| 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. |
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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.

| 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.7435 — Merck/Sigma-Aldrich, 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.7435 — Merck/Sigma-Aldrich, 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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