Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12152 – SPAR / VGS / JV) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2025-10-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Austria, care economy, economic concentration, health care, health service, joint venture, merger control, real property, retail selling, shopping centre








C_202505752EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/5752


24.10.2025






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.12152 – SPAR / VGS / JV)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2025/5752)


1.   
On 16 October 2025, 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:






—


SES Spar European Shopping Centers GmbH (‘SES’, Austria), controlled by HOLDAG Beiteiligungsgesellschaft mbH (Austria),










—


Vinzenz Gruppe Service GmbH (‘VGS’, Austria), controlled by St. Vinzenz gemeinnützige Privatstiftung der Barmherzigen Schwestern (Austria).




SES and VGS will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of a newly created joint venture.
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:






—


SES develops, constructs and operates large-scale multi-functional properties with a focus on retail and services in Austria as well as in other central and southern European countries. SES is part of the SPAR Group which is active in the wholesale and retail trade of food and daily goods, and in the retail trade of sports goods and fashion in Austria and neighbouring countries,










—


VGS is active in the healthcare and care sector, providing notably healthcare services to the general market such as health parks, rehabilitation facilities and other services.






3.   
The business activities of the newly created JV will be the following:






—


The joint venture will operate health parks in shopping centres in Austria and will focus on the rental of premises for healthcare professionals and location management services.






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 concentration 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.12152 – SPAR / VGS / JV
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/2025/5752/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)