Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11130 – SONAE / BKCF / BKSA / UNIVERSO IME / JV) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2023/C 280/02
Date: 2023-08-09
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: banking, economic concentration, financial services, foodstuff, insurance, management, marketing, merger control, payment system, provision of services, retail trade








C_2023280EN.01000201.xml










9.8.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 280/2






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11130 – SONAE / BKCF / BKSA / UNIVERSO IME / JV)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2023/C 280/02)

1.   
On 3 August 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:






—


Sonae SGPS, S.A. (‘Sonae’, Portugal), controlled by Efanor Investimentos, SGPS, SE (‘Efanor’, Portugal),










—


Bankinter Consumer Finance, E.F.C., S.A. (‘BKCF’, Spain), controlled by Bankinter S.A. (‘BKSA’, Spain),










—


Universo IME S.A. (‘Universo IME’, Portugal), controlled by Sonae,










—


Universo GC – Gestão e Consultoria, S.A. (‘Universo GC’, Portugal), controlled by Sonae.




Sonae and BKCF will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Universo IME. Sonae will contribute the whole of Universo GC to Universo IME.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


Sonae is primarily active in food and non-food retail in Portugal, and has also activities in sectors including consumer finance and insurance, real estate, electronic communications, and IT,










—


BKCF is mainly active in the provision of retail banking services in Spain and Portugal. It also offers corporate and investment banking services, asset management, pension fund management, investment services, insurance and payment cards,










—


Universo IME is engaged in payment services to consumers, credit intermediation for consumer loans granted by third parties, and merchant acquiring services for retailers,










—


Universo GC provides management and marketing services and acts as an insurance mediator for a variety of insurance types, including consumer credit protection insurance.






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.11130 – SONAE / BKCF / BKSA / UNIVERSO IME / JV
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.