Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7352 — GDF Suez/SOPER/Natixis/LCS 1/LCS 2/LCS 5/LCS 9/LCSGO) — Candidate case for simplified procedure  Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2014-10-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: France, bank, economic concentration, electrical energy, investment company, merger control, solar energy, wind energy








C_2014368EN.01001701.xml










17.10.2014   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 368/17





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.7352 — GDF Suez/SOPER/Natixis/LCS 1/LCS 2/LCS 5/LCS 9/LCSGO)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
2014/C 368/10






1.


On 9 October 2014, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which La Compagnie du Vent (‘LCV’, France), which is jointly controlled by GDF Suez (‘GDF Suez’, France) and SOPER (‘SOPER’, France), and Natixis Asset Management (‘Natixis’, France), which belongs to the Groupe Banque Populaire Caisse d’Epargne (‘Groupe BPCE’, France), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of La Compagnie du Soleil Investissement 1 (‘LCS 1’, France), La Compagnie du Soleil Investissement 2 (‘LCS 2’, France), La Compagnie du Soleil Investissement 5 (‘LCS 5’, France), La Compagnie du Soleil Investissement 9 (‘LCS 9’, France), La Compagnie du Soleil Grand Ouest (‘LCS GO’, France), by way of purchase of shares.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
—   for LCV: French undertaking active in the development, construction and operation of wind farms and solar parks as well as in the generation and wholesale of electricity in France. LCV is jointly controlled by GDF and SOPER. GDF is an integrated energy company active across the energy value chain from the production of gas to the retail sale of gas and from the generation of electricity to the retail sale of electricity. SOPER is a holding company owned by an individual, which has for its sole purpose the holding of its shares in LCV,
—   for Natixis: French corporate and investment bank, which is controlled by the Groupe BPCE, and which is active in wholesale banking, investment banking and financial services,
—   for LCS 1, LCS 2, LCS 5, LCS 9 and LCSGO: solar parks, which are active in the wholesale of electricity in France.










3.


On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the 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 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 this Notice.










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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7352 — GDF Suez/SOPER/Natixis/LCS 1/LCS 2/LCS 5/LCS 9/LCSGO, to the following address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË










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

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.