Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE  
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel,   BELGIË  
 
Tel: +32 229 -91111. Fax: +32 229 -64301. E -mail: COMP -MERG ER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels, 18.03.2022  
C(2022 ) 1829 final  
PUBLIC VERSION  
MMFG  
4, Giulia Maramotti  
42124 Reggio Emilia  
Italy 
Mitsui  
2-1 Otemachi 1 -chome  
Chiyoda -ku, Tokyo  
Japan  
Subject : Case M. 10639 –  MAX MARA / MITSUI / MCJ  
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation 
(EC) No 139/20041 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European 
Economic Area2  
Dear Sir or Madam,  
1. On 22 February 2022 , the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger  Regulation by which Mitsui & Co. 
Ltd. (‘Mitsui’, Japan)  will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) in 
conjunction with Article 3(4) of the Merger Regul ation jo int control of the whole of 
Max & Co. Japan Co. Ltd. (‘MCJ’, Japan ), controlled by Max Mara Group (Italy ). 
The concentration is accomplished by way of  purchase of shares . 3 
2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:  
 Mitsui is a trading, business management and project development company, 
headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Mitsui operates worldwide and is active in 
various sectors, including in the production, distribution and retail activities of 
apparel , 
 Max Mara Group  is an Itali an group of companies  in cluding Max Mara Fashion 
Group (‘MMFG’, Italy) and International Fashion Trading S.a.r.l. (‘IFT’, 
                                                 
1 OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ( the ‘Merger Regulation ’). With effect from 1 December 2009,  the Treaty on 
the Functioning of the European Union ( ‘TFEU ’) has introduced certain changes, such as the 
replacement of ‘Community ’ by ‘Union ’ and ‘common market ’ by ‘internal market ’. The terminology 
of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.  
2  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p.  3 (the ‘EEA Agreement ’). 
3  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 102, 2.3.2022, p. 10. 

2 Luxembourg)  that manufactures and sells prét -a-porter apparel and accessories at 
worldwide level. The group owns several brands inclu ding Max Mara, Max & 
Co., Sportmax, Weekend Max Mara, Pennyblack, Marina Rinaldi, Persona, 
Marella, Emme Marella, iBlues and Intrend , 
 Max & Co. Japan (MCJ) is a  Japanese subsidiary of MMFG , active in the retail 
sale of Max & Co and Marina Rinaldi branded p roducts in Japan. MCJ will be 
absorbed by Max Mara Japan which is a joint venture company between Mitsui, 
IFT and MMFG active in the retail sale of Max Mara and Weekend Max Mara 
branded products in Japan . 
3. After examination of the notification, the European  Commission has concluded that 
the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger  Regulation  and of 
paragraph s 5(a) of the Commission  Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of 
certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .4 
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European 
Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it 
compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is 
adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger  Regulation  and Article 57 of 
the EEA Agreement . 
For the Commission  
 
 
(Signed)  
Olivier GUERSENT  
Director -General  
 
                                                 
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .