Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10396 – GIP / MERIDIAM / NEW SUEZ) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2021/C 495/05
Date: 2021-12-09
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, investment company, merger control, waste management, water management, water supply








C_2021495EN.01000601.xml










9.12.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 495/6






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10396 – GIP / MERIDIAM / NEW SUEZ)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2021/C 495/05)

1.   
On 30 November 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:






—


Global Infrastructure Management, LLC (‘GIP’, United States),










—


Meridiam SAS (‘Meridiam’, France),










—


SUEZ SA (‘Suez’, France).




GIP and Meridiam intend to acquire joint control over certain activities of Suez (‘the new SUEZ’ or ‘the target’) in the water and waste sector in France and internationally.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares and assets.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


GIP is an independent infrastructure fund manager, headquartered in New York. GIP manages assets that are concentrated in the transport, energy, waste and water sectors. GIP’s customers are mostly pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and other investors.










—


Meridiam is a French long-term investor in infrastructure. Meridiam is active in the transport, environment, social infrastructure and energy sectors in Europe, North America, South America and Africa.










—


Suez SA is a company listed in France which is mainly active in the provision of water management, waste water recycling and recovery, urban development and waste management services. The new SUEZ concerns Suez’s activities in the municipal water, non-hazardous waste and urban cleaning sectors in France, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Africa, Asia and Australia.






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 to it any observations they may have on the proposed transaction.
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.10396 – GIP / MERIDIAM / NEW SUEZ
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.