Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11154 – LUBEA / GEL / ESTEVE HEALTHCARE) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2023/C 207/02
Date: 2023-06-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Catalonia, Germany, Spain, economic concentration, investment, investment company, merger control, pharmaceutical industry, sale








C_2023207EN.01000201.xml










14.6.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 207/2






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11154 – LUBEA / GEL / ESTEVE HEALTHCARE)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2023/C 207/02)

1.   
On 2 June 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:






—


LUBEA Cataman GmbH & Co. KG (‘LUBEA’, Germany),










—


Grupo Esteve Life Sciences, S.L., (‘GEL’, Spain),










—


Esteve Healthcare, S.L.U, (‘Esteve Healthcare’, Spain).




LUBEA and GEL will acquire within the meaning of Articles 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Esteve Healtchare.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


LUBEA is German company active in the acquisition, development, holding and sale of investments in companies as well as the establishment of companies. LUBEA’s capital is held entirely by Lukas Asset Management SE & Co. KG.










—


GEL is a Spanish corporation headquartered in Barcelona. It is a family owned business owned by members of the Esteve family, with the sole purpose or holding 100 % of the shares in Esteve Healthcare.










—


Esteve Healthcare is a Spanish based international proprietary specialty pharmagroup, which is active in the entire pharmaceutical value chain, from preclinical research to manufacturing and the sale of finished dosage forms.






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.11154 – LUBEA / GEL / ESTEVE HEALTHCARE
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
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.