C 351/6
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
14.9.2022
Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10696 – ARAMCO OVERSEAS COMPANY / BP EUROPA / LOTOS – AIR BP POLSKA) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance)
(2022/C 351/04)
1.
On 7 September 2022, 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: — Aramco Overseas Company B.V. (‘AOC’, Netherlands), controlled by Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Arabia), — BP Europa SE (‘BP Europa’, Germany), controlled by BP p.l.c.
(United Kingdom), — Lotos – Air BP Polska sp. z o.o.
(‘Target’, Poland).
AOC and BP Europa will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the Target.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.
2.
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:
— AOC provides its affiliates in the Saudi Aramco group with a wide range of services including finance support services, supply chain management, technical support services and a variety of administrative support services, — BP Europa is carrying out the majority of BP’s operations in Poland, including the supply of road fuel through its own petrol stations and through dealer sites and the sale of lubricants, including through the Castrol brand.
BP currently does not supply or sell aviation fuels in Poland, — The Target is a joint venture jointly controlled by Grupa Lotos S.A. and BP Europa and active in the sale of JET-A1 jet fuel and aviation gasoline, and refuelling of aircrafts with these aviation fuels at airports located in Poland. 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 procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (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.10696 – ARAMCO OVERSEAS COMPANY / BP EUROPA / LOTOS – AIR BP POLSKA Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post.
Please use the contact details below: Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu Fax +32 22964301 (1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).
(2) OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.