Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.8707 — CPPIB/Allianz/GNF/GNDB) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance. )
Date: 2017-12-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, electricity supply, energy industry, financial services, gas supply, insurance company, investment company, merger control








C_2017413EN.01001001.xml










5.12.2017   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 413/10





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.8707 — CPPIB/Allianz/GNF/GNDB)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2017/C 413/09)






1.


On 27 November 2017, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board Europe (‘CPPIB Europe’, Canada), controlled by CPPIB,










—


Allianz Infrastructure Luxembourg I (‘Allianz Infrastructure’, Germany), belonging to the Allianz group,










—


Gas Natural SDG, S.A (‘GNF’, Spain),










—


Gas Natural Fenosa Generación Nuclear S.L. and Holding Negocios Regulados Gas Natural S.A., including its subsidiaries Gas Natural Redes GLP S.A. and Gas Natural Transporte SDG S.L. (all together referred to as Gas National Distribution Business, ‘GNDB’, Spain). These entities are currently solely controlled by GNF.




CPPIB Europe, Allianz Infrastructure and GNF acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of GNDB.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
—   for CPPIB Europe: a professional investment management organisation that invests in equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments,
—   for Allianz Infrastructure: a wholly owned subsidiary of Allianz, a global financial service company with services predominantly in the insurance and asset management business,
—   for GNF: active in several regulated and deregulated gas and electricity markets in particular in Spain,
—   for GNDB: active in gas distribution and transmission in Spain.










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 the 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. The following reference should always be specified:
M.8707 — CPPIB/Allianz/GNF/GNDB
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:





E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu




Fax +32 22964301




Postal 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.