Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11500 – RENAULT / PLUG POWER / HYVIA) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2024-06-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, fuel cell, hydrogen, hydrogen production, light-duty vehicle, merger control, motor car, motor vehicle industry, supply








C_202404141EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/4141


27.6.2024






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11500 – RENAULT / PLUG POWER / HYVIA)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2024/4141)


1.   
On 20 June 2024, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 and following a referral pursuant to Article 4(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Renault SAS (‘Renault’, France), controlled by Renault S.A. (France),










—


Plug Power France (‘Plug Power’, France), controlled by Plug Power Inc. (United States),










—


HyVia (France).




Renault and Plug Power will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of HyVia.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.


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






—


Renault manufactures and sells automobile vehicles, including passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (‘LCVs’),










—


Plug Power develops, produces, and sells hydrogen, electrolysers, and fuel cell systems for industrial and mobility applications.






3.   

HyVia is active in the manufacture and supply of fuel cell LCVs and in the supply of hydrogen refuelling stations.



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.11500 – RENAULT / PLUG POWER / HYVIA
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/2024/4141/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)