Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11778 – VREP / SÜDBG / DEKOM / DEKOM UNITED) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2024-11-12
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: audiovisual communications policy, consultancy, economic concentration, investment company, merger control, provision of services, video communications, video conference








C_202406857EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/6857


12.11.2024






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11778 – VREP / SÜDBG / DEKOM / DEKOM UNITED)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2024/6857)


1.   
On 5 November 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:






—


VR Equitypartner GmbH (‘VREP’, Germany), controlled by DZ Bank AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank (‘DZ Bank’, Germany),










—


Süd Beteiligungen GmbH (‘SüdBG’, Germany), controlled by Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (‘LBBW’, Germany),










—


DEKOM AG and DEKOM United GmbH (‘DEKOM’ and ‘DEKOM United’ respectively, Germany), currently controlled by Venture Security Holding GmbH (Germany).




VREP and SüdBG will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of DEKOM and DEKOM United.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


VREP is an investment company offering equity solutions and equity-like financing for medium-sized businesses, and is a 100 % subsidiary of DZ Bank. DZ Bank is a commercial and investment bank which acts as the central institution for around 800 cooperative banks,










—


SüdBG is an investment company offering equity solutions and equity-like financing for small- and medium-sized businesses in the German-speaking area, and is a 100 % subsidiary of LBBW. LBBW is a medium-sized universal and commercial bank, with activities in the following areas: businesses with medium-sized corporate customers, private customers, savings banks, real estate financing and capital market products for institutional customers,










—


DEKOM and DEKOM United offer video conferencing and audiovisual communication solutions, which involves providing advice and services with regard to customers’ videoconferencing rooms. They are active worldwide with a focus on Europe.






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.11778 – VREP / SÜDBG / DEKOM / DEKOM UNITED
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/2024/6857/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)