CELEX: 32019M9504
Language: en
Date: 2019-10-11 00:00:00
Title: Commission Decision of 11/10/2019 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.9504 - BLACKSTONE / CRH (EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS)) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
                                                                Brussels, 11.10.2019
                                                                C(2019) 7469 final
                                                                                 PUBLIC VERSION
                                                                To the notifying party
Subject:        Case M.9504 – BLACKSTONE / CRH (EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTION
                BUSINESS)
                Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation
                                       1
                (EC) No 139/2004 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European
                                    2
                Economic Area
Dear Sir or Madam,
1.      On 13 September 2019, the European Commission received notification of a proposed
        concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which The
        Blackstone Group Inc. (“Blackstone”, United States) acquires within the meaning of
        Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of CRH’s European distribution
        business, including Paulsen & Eckhart GmbH, Paulsen & Braeuniger GmbH, August
        Wollschläger & Co GmbH, Bergmann & Franz Nachf. GmbH & Co.KG, Andreas
        Paulsen GmbH, CRH Betonholding GmbH, D.F. Liedelt Heizungs- und Sanitär
        Grosshandels GmbH, Bauking AG (Germany), Quester Baustoffhandel GmbH
        (Austria), Heumatrans NV, Jeca BVBA, Lambrechts NV, BMB Bouwmaterialen
        BVBA, Sax Sanitair NV, Schrauwen Sanitaire en Verwarming NV (Belgium), BMN
        Bowmaterialenhandel B.V. (the Netherlands), Cimentos Estrada Perdra S.G.P.S.
        Limitada (Portugal), CRH Normandie Distribution SAS, CRH France Distribution
        SAS (France), and of CRH plc (“CRH”, Ireland). The concentration is accomplished
        by way of purchase of shares.3
2.      The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
              for Blackstone: global alternative asset management;
              for CRH European distribution business: distribution of building, sanitary,
                 heating and plumbing materials through general builders merchants, specialist
                 builders merchants, as well as DIY stores.
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 (the ‘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 318, 23.9.2019, p. 18.
Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel, BELGIË
Tel: +32 229-91111. Fax: +32 229-64301. E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu.
 ---pagebreak--- 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(c) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of
   certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.4
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)
                                                  Cecilio MADERO VILLAREJO
                                                  Acting Director-General
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.
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