Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9728 — Altice/OMERS/Allianz/Covage) (Text with EEA relevance) 2020/C 347/10
Date: 2020-10-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: France, Internet access provider, advertising, economic concentration, insurance, investment company, mass media, merger control, mobile communication, transmission network, wholesale trade








C_2020347EN.01001101.xml










19.10.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 347/11






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.9728 — Altice/OMERS/Allianz/Covage)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2020/C 347/10)

1.   
On 8 October 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:






—


Altice France S.A. (France), controlled by Altice Europe N.V. (Altice’),










—


OMERS Infrastructure European Holdings B.V. (Netherlands), controlled by OMERS Administration Corporation (‘OMERS’),










—


Allianz Infrastructure Luxembourg II S.à r.l. (Luxembourg), belonging to the group Allianz (‘Allianz’),










—


Covage S.A.S. (‘Covage’, France), jointly controlled by Cube Infrastructure and Partners Group.




Altice, OMERS and Allianz acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of Covage.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


for Altice: telecommunications, content, media, entertainment and advertising activities. In the telecommunications sector, Altice operates chiefly in wholesale and retail markets for fixed and mobile telephony services for residential and non-residential customers. Through its subsidiary SFR FTTH (jointly with Allianz and OMERS), Altice is also engaged in the deployment, operation, sale, financing and maintenance of fibre networks in France,










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for OMERS: administrator of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System Primary Pension Plan,










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for Allianz: international industrial and services group providing insurance and asset management for individuals and businesses,










—


for Covage: design, financing, deployment and operation of broadband telecommunications networks in France (chiefly fibre) and sale of internet access services exclusively on wholesale markets.






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.



4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission no later than ten days following the date on which this notification is published. The following reference should always be specified:
M.9728 — Altice/OMERS/Allianz/Covage
Observations can be sent to the Commission by e-mail, 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’).