Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7814 — ENGIE/SOPER/LCV/CDC/CEOLCBH60/CEOLCHA51/CEOLAUX89) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2015-12-04
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, energy distribution, energy production, holding company, merger control








C_2015402EN.01001901.xml










4.12.2015   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 402/19





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.7814 — ENGIE/SOPER/LCV/CDC/CEOLCBH60/CEOLCHA51/CEOLAUX89)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2015/C 402/14)






1.


On 27 November 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (‘CDC’) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of CEOLCBH60, CEOLCHA51, CEOLAUX89 (‘the companies’) controlled by La Compagnie du Vent (‘LCV’), ultimately controlled by ENGIE and SOPER, by way of purchase of shares.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


ENGIE is a global energy player incorporated in France. It is active in the sectors of energy services, more precisely electricity and natural gas, across the entire value chain, comprising production and distribution. ENGIE holds 59 % of LCV’s shares,










—


SOPER is stock company and incorporated under French law. It is a holding company whose only activity consists on the ownership of 41 % of shares of LCV. SOPER had no turnover in 2014,










—


LCV is incorporated under French law and is active in the sector of renewable wind and photovoltaic energy. Its activities consist on the localisation, planning and development of wind and photovoltaic energy sites. In the EEA, LCV is only active in France. ENGIE holds 59 % of shares in LCVs capital, the remaining 41 % being held by SOPER. In turn, LCV holds 100 % of shares in the companies subject to the transaction,










—


CDC is a French public sector institution. Historically it has acted with the French authorities to advance the country’s economic and social development and the modernisation of the financial sector. Today it is a financial group and fund manager carrying out both public sector projects and open market activities,










—


CEOLCBH60, CEOLCHA51, CEOLAUX89 are companies incorporated in France and active in the development, construction and commercialisation of wind farms. They each own one wind farm in France and are wholly owned by LCV.














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 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 email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7814 — ENGIE/SOPER/LCV/CDC/CEOLCBH60/CEOLCHA51/CEOLAUX89, 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.