Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.8031 — 3i Group/Wood Creek/Wireless Infrastructure Group) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2016-05-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, insurance company, merger control, telecommunications industry








C_2016174EN.01001601.xml










14.5.2016   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 174/16





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.8031 — 3i Group/Wood Creek/Wireless Infrastructure Group)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2016/C 174/06)






1.


On 4 May 2016, 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 3i Infrastructure plc (‘3iN’ of Jersey), ultimately controlled by 3i Group plc (‘3i’ of the United Kingdom), and U.S. WIG Holdings LP (‘Wood Creek’ of the U.S.), ultimately controlled by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (‘MassMutual’ of the U.S.), acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of UK WIG I Limited (‘WIG’ of the United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
—   for 3i: investments, investment management and management advice in private equity, infrastructure and debt management. 3i’s investments in infrastructure with a focus on utilities, transportation and social infrastructure sectors are primarily through 3iN,
—   for MassMutual: life insurance and other insurance products,
—   for Wood Creek: holding company. Wood Creek is controlled by Wood Creek Capital Management LLC (‘WCCM’), which is active as investment manager, mainly focussed on private core capital assets and privately owned infrastructure, and in turn is controlled by MassMutual,
—   for WIG: management of communication towers and other wireless infrastructure. WIG is currently controlled by Wood Creek.










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.8031 — 3i Group/Wood Creek/Wireless Infrastructure Group, 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.