Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11225 – APOLLO / APPLUS) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2023/C 325/06
Date: 2023-09-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Catalonia, Spain, United States, approval, economic concentration, investment, investment company, merger control, provision of services, public sector








C_2023325EN.01000701.xml










15.9.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 325/7







Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11225 – APOLLO / APPLUS)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2023/C 325/06)


1.   
On 8 September 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:






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Apollo Management X, L.P. (‘Apollo Management X’, USA), controlled by Apollo Global Management Inc. (‘AGM’, USA)










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Applus Services, S.A. (‘Applus’, Spain)




Apollo Management X will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of Applus.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






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Apollo Management X is a company belonging to AGM, a global alternative asset manager headquartered in New York City. AGM provides innovative capital solutions to businesses and invests in all parts of the capital structure and in a number of industries, including natural resources, manufacturing and industrial, education, insurance, financial services, and leisure businesses.










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Applus is a public company headquartered in Barcelona and active worldwide in the provision of testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services. Applus was created in Barcelona in 1996 within the Agbar Group. The activities carried out by Applus are framed within the following four business lines: (i) Automotive; (ii) Energy and Industry; (iii) Idiada Division; and (iv) Applus Laboratories.






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.11225 – APOLLO / APPLUS
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.