Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 21.8.2014 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 274/5 |

---

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7374 — Bain Capital / Itochu / Bellsystem)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2014/C 274/06)

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| 1. | On 11 August 2014, the European Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004[(1)](#ntr1-C_2014274EN.01000501-E0001) by which the undertaking Bain Capital Investors, LLC (‘Bain Capital’, United States of America) and Itochu Corporation (‘Itochu’, Japan) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Bellsystem 24 Holdings Inc. (‘Bellsystem’, Japan) currently controlled by Bain Capital, by way of purchase of shares. |

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:   |  |  | | --- | --- | | — | Bain Capital provides advice to and management of investment funds. Bain Capital is the ultimate general partner of private equity investment funds constituting limited partnerships, |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | — | Itochu is active in general trading in the textiles, metals/minerals, food, machinery, energy, chemicals, and ICT/general products/real estate sectors. Itochu is the ultimate parent company of the Itochu Group, |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | — | Bellsystem provides customer relationship management outsourcing services, contract research services for pharmaceutical and medical industry and internet applications. | |

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| 3. | On preliminary examination, the European 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 procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Merger Regulation[(2)](#ntr2-C_2014274EN.01000501-E0002) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice. |

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4. | The European Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the European Commission.  Observations must reach the European Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the European Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7374 — Bain Capital / Itochu / Bellsystem, to the following address:   |  | | --- | | European Commission | | Directorate-General for Competition | | Merger Registry | | J-70 | | 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel | | BELGIQUE/BELGIË | |

---

[Top](#document1)