CELEX: 32017M8456
Language: en
Date: 2017-07-14 00:00:00
Title: Commission Decision of 14/07/2017 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.8456 - INEOS / FORTIES PIPELINE SYSTEM) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
                     
                  
               
               Brussels, 14.7.2017
            
            
               C(2017) 5139 final
            
            
               To the Notifying Party
            
            
               Subject:Case M.8456 – INEOS / FORTIES PIPELINE SYSTEM
                  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 20 June 2017, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which the undertaking INEOS FPS Limited (UK) (owned by INEOS Limited, Isle of Man), together “INEOS”, acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Forties Pipeline System (“FPS”, UK) and interests in the North and South Graben Area Export Lines ("GAEL spurlines", together with FPS referred to as the "FPS Business"), by way of purchase of assets.
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               2.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
            
            
               -INEOS is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and oil products. INEOS has limited activities in the upstream oil and gas sector;
            
            
               -FPS Business is an integrated oil and natural gas liquids pipeline transportation and processing system located in the UK Northern North Sea.
            
            
               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.
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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 205, 29.6.2017, p. 61.
               
               
                  
                     (4)
                  
                  
                      
                           OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.