CELEX: 32018M8815
Language: en
Date: 2018-04-13 00:00:00
Title: Commission Decision of 13/04/2018 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.8815 - VAPO / OP FINANCIAL GROUP / JV ) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
                     
                  
               
               Brussels, 13.4.2018
            
            
               C(2018) 2330 final
            
            
               PUBLIC VERSIONPUBLIC VERSION
            
            
            
               To the Notifying Parties
            
            
            
               Subject:Case M.8815 - VAPO / OP FINANCIAL GROUP / JV
                  Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004
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                and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area
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               Dear Sir or Madam,
            
            
               1.On 12 March 2018, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which Vapo Oy (‘Vapo’) (Finland) and OP Financial Group (Finland) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Vapo Lämpövoima Ky. The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.
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               2.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
            
            
               -Vapo is a supplier and developer of bioenergy in Finland, Sweden and Estonia;
            
            
               -OP Financial Group is a financial services cooperative group supplying a diversified range of banking, investment and insurance services;
            
            
               -Vapo Lämpövoima Ky is a newly established joint-venture that will offer power and heat solutions to industrial operators, energy companies and municipalities.
            
            
               3.After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraph 5(a) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.
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               4.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 and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement.
            
            
            
               For the Commission
            
            
               (Signed)
               Johannes LAITENBERGER
                  Director-General
               
         
         
            
                  
                     (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)
                   
                        OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3 (the 'EEA Agreement').
               
               
                  
                     (3)
                   
                        Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 107, 22.3.2018, p. 13.
               
               
                  
                     (4)
                  
                  
                      
                           OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.