Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11473 – VAN MOSSEL AUTOMOTIVE / MERCEDES-BENZ CPH) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2024-04-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, financial services, general mechanical engineering, light-duty vehicle, merger control, motor car, motor vehicle industry, sale, used goods, vehicle parts








C_202402493EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/2493


4.4.2024






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11473 – VAN MOSSEL AUTOMOTIVE / MERCEDES-BENZ CPH)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2024/2493)


1.   
On 22 March 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:






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Van Mossel Automotive International B.V. (‘Van Mossel Automotive’), ultimately jointly controlled by Henricus Wilhelmus Simon Maria Berkhof and Bertus Elizabeth Mandemakers, all of The Netherlands,










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Mercedes-Benz CPH A/S (‘Mercedes-Benz CPH’, Denmark), ultimately controlled by Mercedes-Benz Group AG (Germany).




Van Mossel Automotive will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of Mercedes-Benz CPH.
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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Van Mossel Automotive is active in the sale of new and used passenger cars and light commercial vehicles of various brands via sales locations in The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany and the UK. Van Mossel Automotive also owns damage repair shops with nationwide coverage in Belgium and The Netherlands. In addition, Van Mossel Automotive offers related services (such as car rental, financing and car leasing) and is present on the aftermarket for the sale of original equipment parts and accessories.










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Mercedes-Benz CPH is active in the sale of new and used passenger cars and light commercial vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz brand in Denmark. Mercedes-Benz CPH also offers maintenance and repair works for passenger cars of the Mercedes-Benz Smart brands as well as trucks. In addition, Mercedes-Benz CPH offers related services (such as car rental and car leasing) and is present on the aftermarket for the sale of original equipment parts and accessories.






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 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.


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.11473 – VAN MOSSEL AUTOMOTIVE / MERCEDES-BENZ CPH
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/2024/2493/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)