Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10326 — Allianz Holding/Santander/Aviva Companies/Santander Aviva Companies) (Text with EEA relevance) 2021/C 291/05
Date: 2021-07-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: banking, economic concentration, financial services, holding company, indemnity insurance, life assurance, merger control, pension scheme








C_2021291EN.01000501.xml










21.7.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 291/5






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10326 — Allianz Holding/Santander/Aviva Companies/Santander Aviva Companies)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2021/C 291/05)

1.   
On 14 July 2021, 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:






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Allianz Holding eins GmbH (‘Allianz’, Austria), belonging to Allianz Group controlled by Allianz SE (Germany),










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Santander Bank Polska S.A. (‘Santander’, Poland), belonging to Santander Group controlled by Banco Santander, S.A (Spain),










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Aviva Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń Na Życie S.A. (‘Aviva Life’, Poland), Aviva Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń Ogólnych S.A. (‘Aviva GI’, Poland), and Aviva Investors Poland Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych S.A. (‘Aviva Investors’, Poland) (together ‘the Aviva Companies’), currently solely controlled by Aviva International Holdings Ltd (‘Aviva’, UK),










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Santander Aviva Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń Na Życie S.A. (‘Santander Aviva Life’, Poland) and Santander Aviva Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń S.A. (‘Santander Aviva GI’, Poland) (together ‘the Santander Aviva Companies’), currently jointly controlled by Aviva and Santander.




Allianz acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the Aviva Companies, and Allianz and Santader acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the Santander Aviva Companies. The two transactions are interdependent and constitute a single concentration constituting the acquisition of control within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






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Allianz is a holding company incorporated under the laws of Austria. Allianz is part of Allianz Group, which provides financial services mainly in the field of life and non-life insurance and asset management services in over 70 countries, in particular in Europe.










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Santander provides the full scope of banking services in Poland to personal customers, small and medium-sized companies and large corporations. Santander is part of Santander Group, which is an international group of banking and financial companies.










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The Aviva Companies offer life and non-life insurance, asset management and pensions in Poland as well as life insurance and pensions in Lithuania.










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The Santander Aviva Companies offer life and non-life insurance in Poland.






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 not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.10326 — Allianz Holding/Santander/Aviva Companies/Santander Aviva Companies
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’).