32013M6746

|EUROPEAN COMMISSION |

Brussels, 06.02.2013

PUBLIC VERSION C(2013) 730

SIMPLIFIED MERGER PROCEDURE

To the notifying parties:

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

Subject: Case No COMP/M.6746-MITSUI/ SEVERSTAL/ SEVERSTAL-SSC-VSEVOLOZHSK JV Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 [1]

1. On 3 January 2013, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which the undertaking Mitsui&Co. Ltd ("Mitsui", Japan) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control together with OAO Severstal ("Severstal", Russia), belonging to MAA Group (Russia), of Severstal-SSC-Vsevolozhsk (the "Target") by way of purchase of shares. [2]

2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

- for Mitsui: sale, distribution, purchase, marketing and supply of iron, steel, non-ferrous metals, electronics and chemicals, as well as the sale of motor vehicles, motorcycles and the like;

- for Severstal: production and marketing of steel products and steel related mining businesses;

- for Severstal-SSC-Vsevolozhsk: manufacturing, storing and distribution of various processed steel products mainly for the automotive manufactures.

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 [3] .

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.

For the Commission

(signed)

Alexander ITALIANER 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] Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 008, 12.1.2013, p.10.

[3] OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.