Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9791 — Signa Retail/Central Group/Globus) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2020/C 100/08
Date: 2020-03-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: catering industry, clothing industry, economic concentration, furniture industry, merchandising, merger control, real estate business, retail trade








C_2020100EN.01001501.xml










27.3.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 100/15






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.9791 — Signa Retail/Central Group/Globus)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2020/C 100/08)

1.   
On 16 March 2020, 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:






—


SIGNA Retail Selection AG and SIGNA Prime Selection AG (‘Signa Group’, Switzerland, Austria), belonging to the group SIGNA Holding GmbH, ultimately controlled by Familie Benko Privatstiftung,










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Harng Central Department Store Ltd. (‘Central Group’, Thailand), ultimately controlled by the Chirathivat family,










—


Magazine zum Globus AG (‘Globus’, Switzerland).




Signa Group and Central acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of Globus.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares and assets.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


for Signa Group: retailing, including through various department stores in Germany (‘GALERIA Karstadt Kaufhof’) and Belgium and furniture stores in Austria, as well as real estate primarily in Austria and Germany.










—


for Central Group: merchandising, real estate, retailing, hospitality and restaurants primarily in Southeast Asia in the retail sector in Italy, Denmark and in Germany through the premium department stores of The KaDeWe Group.










—


for Globus: operating department and other (fashion) stores across Switzerland.






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.9791 — Signa Retail/Central Group/Globus
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.