Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.8780 — PPF Group/Škoda Transportation/VUKV/JK/Satacoto/Škoda Investment/Bammer Trade) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance. )
Date: 2018-03-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, financial services, holding company, investment company, maintenance, merger control, property leasing, rail transport, transport company








C_2018096EN.01003601.xml










14.3.2018   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 96/36





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.8780 — PPF Group/Škoda Transportation/VUKV/JK/Satacoto/Škoda Investment/Bammer Trade)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2018/C 96/12)






1.


On 6 March 2018, 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:






—


PPF Group N.V. (‘PPF’) (The Netherlands),










—


Škoda Transportation a.s. (‘Škoda Transportation’) (The Czech Republic),










—


VUKV a.s. (‘VUKV’) (The Czech Republic),










—


Jokiaura Kakkonen (‘JK’) (Finland),










—


Satacoto Ltd. (‘Satacoto’) (Cyprus),










—


Škoda Investment a.s. (‘Škoda Investment’) (The Czech Republic),










—


Bammer Trade a.s. (‘Bammer Trade’) (The Czech Republic).




PPF acquires, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation, control over the whole of Škoda Transportation, VUKV, JK, Satacoto, Škoda Investment and Bammer Trade.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


PPF is a multinational finance and investment group focusing on financial services, consumer finance, telecommunications, biotechnologies, retail services, real estate and agriculture,










—


Škoda Transportation is a Czech transportation company engaged in the production, development, assembly, reconstruction and repair of railway and subway vehicles, trams, trolleybuses, and electric buses and related services,










—


VUKV is involved in the development, research and testing of rail vehicles, their parts and related services,










—


JK is involved in the renting of production facilities,










—


Satacoto is a holding company which is active, via its subsidiary, in the production of electric motors and generators, and the renting of real estate,










—


Škoda Investment is involved in the renting of property and the granting of licences for the ŠKODA trademark and is active, via its subsidiaries, in PV power generation, IT and telecommunications technology,










—


Bammer Trade is involved in the repair of public transportation vehicles.














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.8780 — PPF Group/Škoda Transportation/VUKV/JK/Satacoto/Škoda Investment/Bammer Trade
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:





Email:




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.