Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10045 — Eurazeo/IK Investment Partners/Questel) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2020/C 408/07
Date: 2020-11-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, intellectual property, investment company, merger control, service, software, supplier








C_2020408EN.01000701.xml










27.11.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 408/7






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10045 — Eurazeo/IK Investment Partners/Questel)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2020/C 408/07)

1.   
On 19 November 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:






—


Eurazeo SE (‘Eurazeo’, France),










—


IK Investment Partners (Luxembourg),










—


Questel International SAS (‘Questel’, France).




Eurazeo and IK Investment Partners acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Questel.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






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Eurazeo: an investment company which, through its portfolio companies, is present in a number of sectors, such as management of care homes for the elderly, management of convalescent and rehabilitation care homes, real estate services, production of board games, manufacture of electrical chargers and many other sectors,










—


IK Investment Partners: a private equity company which, through its portfolio companies, also operates in a wide range of sectors, such as business services, food and consumer goods, industries in general, and health,










—


Questel: an international supplier of intellectual property software and services. Questel has 19 offices worldwide and is active mainly in the United States, Europe (particularly in France, Germany and Sweden) and Asia (chiefly in Japan). Until the transaction takes place, Questel is controlled solely by IK Investment Partners.






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 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 no later than ten days following the date on which this notification is published. The following reference should always be specified:
M.10045 — Eurazeo/IK Investment Partners/Questel
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’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.