Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11343 - SUMITOMO / OSAKA GAS / I SQUARED / THINK GAS / AG&P CITY GAS) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2024-01-11
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, energy distribution, energy production, gas supply, health care, investment company, merger control, natural gas, petroleum, telecommunications








C_202400782EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series C













C/2024/782


11.1.2024






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11343 - SUMITOMO / OSAKA GAS / I SQUARED / THINK GAS / AG&P CITY GAS)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2024/782)


1.   
On 3 January 2024, 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:






—


Sumitomo Corporation (‘Sumitomo’, Japan),










—


Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (‘Osaka Gas’, Japan),










—


I Squared Capital LLC (‘I Squared’, USA),










—


Think Gas (India), controlled by I Squared,










—


AG&P City Gas (India), controlled by I Squared.




Sumitomo, Osaka Gas and I Squared will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Think Gas and AG&P City Gas.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


Sumitomo is a global trading and investment company active in a range of business activities in Japan and worldwide,










—


Osaka Gas is an energy company focusing on the development, production, transportation, storage, distribution and retail of oil and natural gas, energy supply and LNG transportation,










—


I Squared is a global infrastructure investment fund manager focusing on sectors such as energy, utilities, telecom, healthcare and transport.






3.   

Think Gas and AG&P City Gas are active in the development and operation of city gas distribution networks in several Indian states.



4.   
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 treatment for certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


5.   
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.11343 - SUMITOMO / OSAKA GAS / I SQUARED / THINK GAS / AG&P CITY GAS
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 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/782/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)