Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10991 – GIP / KKR / VODAFONE / VANTAGE TOWERS) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2023/C 46/03
Date: 2023-02-07
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, investment company, merger control, telecommunications








C_2023046EN.01007001.xml










7.2.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 46/70






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10991 – GIP / KKR / VODAFONE / VANTAGE TOWERS)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2023/C 46/03)

1.   
On 30 January 2023, 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 of America),










—


KKR & Co. Inc. (‘KKR’, United States of America),










—


Vodafone Group Plc (‘Vodafone’, United Kingdom),










—


Vantage Towers AG (‘Vantage Towers’, Germany), currently solely controlled by Vodafone.




GIP, KKR and Vodafone will acquire within the meaning of Articles 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Vantage Towers.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


GIP: a global infrastructure fund manager primarily focused on investing in transportation, energy, waste and digital infrastructure sectors,










—


KKR: a global investment firm, offering alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions,










—


Vodafone: a multinational telecommunications operator, primarily active in the provision of mobile telecommunication services,










—


Vantage Towers: a provider of telecommunication infrastructure hospitality services for customers such as mobile network operators and broadcasters in a number of Member States and the United Kingdom.






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.10991 – GIP / KKR / VODAFONE / VANTAGE TOWERS
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.