CELEX: 32014M7181
Language: en
Date: 2014-07-14 00:00:00
Title: Commission Decision of 14/07/2014 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.7181 - BNP PARIBAS FORTIS / BANK GOSPODARKI ZYWNOSCIOWEJ) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic)

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                                        Brussels, 14.7.2014
                                        C(2014) 5109 final

                                        To the notifying party

Dear Madam(s) and/or Sir(s),

Subject:    Case M.7181- BNP PARIBAS FORTIS/ BANK GOSPODARKI ZYWNOSCIOWEJ
         Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004[1]

 1. On 16 June 2014, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation  by
    which the undertaking BNP Paribas Fortis S.A./N.V. ("BNPP Fortis", Belgium), ultimately controlled  by  BNP  Paribas  S.A.  ("BNPP",  France,
    acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control over the undertaking Bank  Gospodarki  Żywnościowej  S.A
    ("BGZ", Poland) by way of purchase of shares.[2]

2.    The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

      – for BNP Paribas: active in the field of retail banking, corporate and investment,  banking,  financial  services  offered  to  corporate
        retail clients, public entities and financial institution, globally.

      – for BGZ: a publicly traded Polish bank which offers a range of banking and financial services. It specializes in financing  agriculture,
        food sector and regional infrastructure and is active only in Poland.

 2. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger
    Regulation and of paragraphs 5(c) and 6 of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for  treatment  of  certain  concentrations  under
    Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.[3]

 3. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and
    to declare it compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article  6(1)(b)  of
    the Merger Regulation.

                                        For the Commission
                                        (Signed)
                                        Alexander ITALIANER
                                        Director General

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[1]   OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ("the Merger Regulation"). With effect from 1 December 2009, the Treaty on the Functioning of the  European  Union
      ("TFEU") has introduced certain changes, such as the replacement of "Community" by "Union" and "common market" by  "internal  market".  The
      terminology of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.
[2]   Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 192, 21.06.2014, p.6.
[3]   OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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                                                                  PUBLIC VERSION

                                                           SIMPLIFIED MERGER PROCEDURE