Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12218 – SOCAR / IP) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2026-02-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Azerbaijan, Italy, economic concentration, energy industry, gas industry, gas supply, merger control, oil industry, petrochemicals, retail trade, wholesale trade








C_202600754EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/754


3.2.2026






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.12218 – SOCAR / IP)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2026/754)


1.   
On 26 January 2026, 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:






—


SOCAR Energy Holdings AG (‘SOCAR’, Switzerland), controlled by the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan),










—


Italiana Petroli S.p.A. (Italy) and MIP S.p.A. (Luxembourg, both together ‘IP’), currently controlled by API Holding S.p.A. (Italy).




SOCAR will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of IP.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


SOCAR is globally active in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical products, as well as supplying natural gas in Azerbaijan.










—


IP is a downstream energy company in Italy, with refineries, storage and logistics facilities as well as retail fuel filling stations. IP is also active in the wholesale supply of petroleum-based products and renewable energy, focused on Italy and 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 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.12218 – SOCAR / IP
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/2026/754/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)