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 -MERGER -REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels, 6.12.2018  
C(2018 ) 8602  final 
 
To the notifying parties:  
Subject : Case M. 9032  – E.ON / HELEN / VIRTA  
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 13 November 2018 , the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger  Regulation by which E.ON SE, via its 
subsidiary E.ON Drive Infrastructure GmbH  ("E.ON ", Germany)  and Helen Oy (" Helen ", 
Finland)  acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation  joint 
control of the whole of Liikennevirta Oy (" Virta ", Finland)  by way of  purchase of share s.3 
2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:  
 – E.ON : it focusse s on three main business areas: (i) electricity generation from 
renewable energy sources, (ii) energy distribution networks and (iii) customer 
solutions (including electricity and gas retail supply).  In addition, E.ON offers e -
mobility services, including the operation of charging stations for electrical 
vehicles in several EU countries.  
 – Helen : its business consists primarily in the production of electr icity, district 
heating and cooling, as well as energy distribution and sales.  In addition, Helen 
offers a wide range of services for small -scale energy production and the 
customers' own energy use. Since 2012, Helen also offers electric vehicle 
chargin g points in Finland.  
 – Virta : provides a range of services related to the charging of electric vehicles. It 
operates primaril y in Finland and has also activities in Czechia, France, Germany, 
Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK . 
                                                 
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 420, 20.11.2018 , p. 7. 
 
PUBLIC VERSION  
2 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 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)  
Johannes LAITENBERGER  
Director -General  
                                                 
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .