Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.5277 — Zurich/Banco Sabadell/BanSabadell Vida/BanSabadell Pensiones/BanSabadell Generales) — Candidate case for simplified procedure Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2008-08-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, exchange of information, insurance, investment, life assurance, merger control, pension scheme

13.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 206/15

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPETITION
POLICY

COMMISSION

(Case COMP/M.5277 — Zurich/Banco Sabadell/BanSabadell Vida/BanSabadell Pensiones/BanSabadell
Generales)

Prior notification of a concentration

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 206/09)

1.
On 1 August 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to
Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Zurich Vida, Compañía de
Seguros y Reaseguros, SA (‘Zurich Vida’, Spain) and Zurich España, Compañía de Seguros y Reaseguros, SA
(‘Zurich Generales’, Spain) belonging to the Zurich Group (‘Zurich Group’, Switzerland) and Banco de
Sabadell, SA (‘Banco Sabadell’, Spain) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation
joint control of BanSabadell Vida, SA de Seguros y Reaseguros (‘BanSabadell Vida’, Spain) BanSabadell
Pensiones, E.G.F.P., SA (‘BanSabadell Pensiones’, Spain) and BanSabadell Seguros Generales, SA de Seguros
y Reaseguros (‘BanSabadell Generales’, Spain), which are currently wholly-owned subsidiaries of Banco
Sabadell, by way of purchase of shares.
2.
— for Zurich Group: insurance, re-insurance, pensions and investment products in Europe, America and

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

Asia,

— for Zurich Vida: Spanish subsidiary of the Zurich Group in the field of life insurance,
— for Zurich Generales: Spanish subsidiary of the Zurich Group in the field of non-life insurance,
— for Banco Sabadell: retail banking in Spain,
— for BanSabadell Vida: life insurance in Spain,
— for BanSabadell Pensiones: pension products in Spain,
— for BanSabadell Generales: non-life insurance in Spain.
3.
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the
scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to
the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council
Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the
procedure set out in the Notice.
4.
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 ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under
reference number COMP/M.5277 — Zurich/Banco Sabadell/BanSabadell Vida/BanSabadell Pensiones/
BanSabadell Generales, to the following address:
European Commission
Directorate-General for Competition
Merger Registry
J-70
B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.