Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.8899 — OTPP/Carlyle/European Camping Group) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance. )
Date: 2018-05-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: alternative investment, camping, camping vehicle, economic concentration, merger control, pension fund, private equity








C_2018153EN.01000901.xml










2.5.2018   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 153/9





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.8899 — OTPP/Carlyle/European Camping Group)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2018/C 153/04)






1.


On 24 April 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:






—


Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (‘OTPP’, Canada),










—


the Carlyle Group (‘Carlyle’, USA),










—


European Camping Group SAS (‘ECG’, France).




OTPP acquires within the meaning of Articles 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of ECG, together with Carlyle, which already had sole control of ECG. Hence, the concentration entails a change of control over ECG from sole control by Carlyle to joint control by Carlyle and OTPP. The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


OTPP is a corporation without share capital incorporated under the Teachers’ Pension Act (Ontario), having its principal office and business address in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. OTPP is concerned with the administration of pension benefits and the investment of pension plan assets on behalf of approximately 318 000 active and retired teachers in the Canadian province of Ontario;










—


Carlyle is a global alternative asset manager, which manages funds that invest globally across four investment disciplines: (i) Corporate Private Equity; (ii) Real Assets; (iii) Global Market Strategies; and (iv) Solutions;










—


ECG (former Homair Investissement SAS) is a company incorporated in France and active in the outdoor holiday accommodation sector. ECG offers mobile home holidays via five brands (i.e. Homair, Eurocamp, Al Fresco, Roan and Go4Camp). ECG operates approximately 20 000 holiday units, of which over 90 % are mobile homes. These are installed across 300 campsites, either owned by ECG or by partners, mainly in France, Italy, Spain and Croatia.














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.8899 — OTPP/Carlyle/European Camping Group
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.