# C_2012175EN.01003301.xml

| 19.6.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 175/33 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

19.6.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 175/33

---

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6616 — Lion Capital/Alain Afflelou Group)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2012/C 175/12

| 1. | On 11 June 2012 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 Lion/Seneca France 2 (‘LF2’, France), ultimately controlled by Lion Capital LLP (‘Lion Capital’, UK), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of 3 AB Optique Developpement (‘3ABOD’, France) by way of purchase of securities. |
| --- | --- |

1.

On 11 June 2012 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 Lion/Seneca France 2 (‘LF2’, France), ultimately controlled by Lion Capital LLP (‘Lion Capital’, UK), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of 3 AB Optique Developpement (‘3ABOD’, France) by way of purchase of securities.

1

| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






  — | for Lion Capital: private equity investment manager focused on investments in companies engaged in the production and/or sale of consumer-branded goods, |
| --- | --- | --- |

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—

for Lion Capital: private equity investment manager focused on investments in companies engaged in the production and/or sale of consumer-branded goods,

| — | for 3ABOD: ultimate parent of Alain Afflelou Group which is active in distribution of optical products through a national and international network of both franchised and fully-owned retail outlets. |
| --- | --- |

—

for 3ABOD: ultimate parent of Alain Afflelou Group which is active in distribution of optical products through a national and international network of both franchised and fully-owned retail outlets.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC 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 EC Merger Regulation (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice. |
| --- | --- |

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC 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 EC Merger Regulation (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the 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 COMP/M.6616 — Lion Capital/Alain Afflelou Group, to the following address:





  European Commission |
| --- | --- |
| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| J-70 |
| 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 COMP/M.6616 — Lion Capital/Alain Afflelou Group, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

---

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

1

(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).

2

---