Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11553 – CENTRAL / BERLIN PROPERTY) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2024-05-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Berlin, Germany, catering industry, economic concentration, merchandising, merger control, property development, property market, real property, retail trade








C_202403260EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/3260


21.5.2024






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11553 – CENTRAL / BERLIN PROPERTY)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2024/3260)


1.   
On 8 May 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:






—


Central Group (‘Central’, Thailand),










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Property located in Berlin, Tauentzienstraße 21-24 Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG (the ‘Target’, Germany).




Central will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of the Target.
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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Central is active in merchandising, real estate, retailing, hospitality and restaurants. In the EU, Central is active in the retail sector in Italy (La Rinascente Spa), in Germany (the KaDeWe Group) and in Denmark (Illum A/S). Central also conducts property development activities in the real estate business in the EU,










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The Target is the legal and beneficial owner of the real estate property in Passauer Straße 39 – 43 / Tauentzienstraße 21 – 24 / Ansbacher Straße 26/28, registered in the land register of Schöneberg, held with the local court (Amtsgericht) of Schöneberg, folio 13350, plot 48/3. The property is leased to KaDeWe Group under long-term lease contract. KaDeWe Group operates its Berlin brick-and-mortar retail store on the property.






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.11553 – CENTRAL / BERLIN PROPERTY
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/2024/3260/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)