Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7892 — The Carlyle Group/Hunkemöller) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2016-01-16
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: clothing industry, economic concentration, holding company, investment company, merger control








C_2016015EN.01001601.xml










16.1.2016   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 15/16





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.7892 — The Carlyle Group/Hunkemöller)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2016/C 15/08)






1.


On 8 January 2016, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which HKM Bidco B.V., a special purpose acquisition vehicle controlled by funds managed by affiliates of the entities doing business as ‘The Carlyle Group’ (‘Carlyle’, the Netherlands), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control over Lisa Capital Coöperatief U.A. (‘Coop’, the Netherlands) by way of acquisition of all issued and outstanding membership interests and instruments in Coop.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


Carlyle manages funds that invest globally across four investment disciplines: (i) Corporate Private Equity (buyout and growth capital); (ii) Real Assets (real estate, infrastructure and energy and renewable resources); (iii) Global Market Strategies (structured credit, mezzanine, distressed, hedge funds, and middle market debt); and (iv) Solutions (private equity fund of funds program and related co-investment and secondary activities),










—


Coop is the sole owner of EVA Capital B.V., which in turn is the sole owner of Hunkemöller International B.V. (‘HKM’). HKM is a designer and retailer of women’s underwear, including brassieres and lingerie, nightwear and swimwear and has stores, including franchise stores, primarily in the EU and in the Middle East. Coop and EVA Capital B.V. have no other business activities apart from being holding companies for HKM.














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.7892 — The Carlyle Group/Hunkemöller, 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.