Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10736 – ITOCHU / ISUZU MOTORS / JV) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2022/C 193/06
Date: 2022-05-12
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: commercial vehicle, economic concentration, export, foreign trade, hire purchase, import, large vehicle, merger control, motor vehicle industry, vehicle rental








C_2022193EN.01002101.xml










12.5.2022   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 193/21






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10736 – ITOCHU / ISUZU MOTORS / JV)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2022/C 193/06)

1.   
On 4 May 2022, 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:






—


ITOCHU Corporation (‘Itochu’, Japan),










—


ISUZU Motors Ltd. (‘Isuzu’, Japan),










—


Isuzu Leasing Services Limited (‘ILS’, Japan), controlled by Isuzu, and,










—


Isuzu UMAX Corporation (‘UMAX’, Japan), controlled by Isuzu.




Itochu and Isuzu will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of ILS and UMAX.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:






—


for Itochu: trading company, active in the import and export and overseas trading of a wide range of industries including textile, machinery, metals, minerals, energy, chemicals, food, information and communications technology and finance;










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for Isuzu: company, active in the manufacture and supply of motor vehicles as well as engine components. Its products include pick up, light and heavy duty trucks and buses;










—


for ILS: company, currently solely controlled by Isuzu, active in commercial vehicle leasing and commercial vehicle maintenance contract services solely in Japan; and,










—


for UMAX: company currently solely controlled by Isuzu, active in in the truck auction business, the purchase and sale of used trucks, as well as used trucks online trading services solely in Japan.






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 not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.10736 – ITOCHU / ISUZU MOTORS / JV
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.