# C_2011119EN.01001301.xml

| 16.4.2011 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 119/13 |
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16.4.2011

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 119/13

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5985 — ZMB CH/GWH)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2011/C 119/07

| 1. | On 7 April 2011, 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 ZMB (Schweiz) AG (Switzerland) belonging to the group Gazprom (Russia) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking GWH Gashandel GmbH (Austria) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 7 April 2011, 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 ZMB (Schweiz) AG (Switzerland) belonging to the group Gazprom (Russia) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking GWH Gashandel GmbH (Austria) by way of purchase of shares.

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






  — | for ZMB (Schweiz) AG: trading of natural gas, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for ZMB (Schweiz) AG: trading of natural gas,

| — | for Gazprom: vertically integrated group of undertakings mainly active in exploration, production, processing, transport and sale of natural gas, |
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for Gazprom: vertically integrated group of undertakings mainly active in exploration, production, processing, transport and sale of natural gas,

| — | for GWH Gashandel GmbH: sales and transit of natural gas. |
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for GWH Gashandel GmbH: sales and transit of natural gas.

| 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. |
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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.

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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 COMP/M.5985 — ZMB CH/GWH, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| 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.5985 — ZMB CH/GWH, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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

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

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