Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11544 – PFEIFER & LANGEN IHKG GROUP / LATRAPS / ASNS) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2024-07-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Latvia, agricultural cooperative, agricultural production, beverage industry, crop production, economic concentration, food production, merger control, plant breeding, sugar industry








C_202404425EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/4425


10.7.2024






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11544 – PFEIFER & LANGEN IHKG GROUP / LATRAPS / ASNS)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2024/4425)


1.   
On 2 July 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:






—


Pfeifer & Langen GmbH & Co. KG (‘Pfeifer & Langen’, Germany)










—


ASNS Ingredient SIA (‘ASNS’, Latvia)










—


Lauksaimniecības pakalpojumu kooperatīvā sabiedrība (‘LATRAPS’, Latvia), currently controlled by ASNS.




Pfeifer & Langen and ASNS will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of LATRAPS.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


Pfeifer & Langen primarily manufactures and supplies sugar, drinks, foodstuffs and meat and fish substitute products,










—


LATRAPS is a Latvian agricultural service cooperative society, wholly owned by 1 195 members, and provides its members assistance in growing, developing, and selling crops






3.   

The business activities of the undertaking ASNS are the following: ASNS oversees the development of a pea protein isolate plant in Jelgavas, Latvia, expected to be operational in 2027.



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.11544 – PFEIFER & LANGEN IHKG GROUP / LATRAPS / ASNS
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/2024/4425/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)