Choose the experimental features you want to try

This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website

Document 52019M9486

    Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9486 — GBL/Webhelp) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance.)

    OJ C 273, 14.8.2019, p. 4–5 (BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)

    14.8.2019   

    EN

    Official Journal of the European Union

    C 273/4


    Prior notification of a concentration

    (Case M.9486 — GBL/Webhelp)

    Candidate case for simplified procedure

    (Text with EEA relevance)

    (2019/C 273/05)

    1.   

    On 7 August 2019, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).

    This notification concerns the following undertakings:

    Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (‘GBL’, Belgium),

    Webhelp SAS and its subsidiaries (‘Webhelp’, France).

    GBL acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of Webhelp.

    The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.

    2.   

    The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

    —   for GBL: an investment holding company which invests in global companies operating in various sectors and mainly in Europe. The only subsidiary in which GBL has a controlling interest is Imerys SA (‘Imerys’), a French multinational specialised in the production and processing of industrial minerals;

    —   for Webhelp: Information Technology (‘IT’) service provider active primarily in the provision of business process outsourcing services. It offers a range of core services such as technical assistance for customer loyalty services and claims management, multichannel client data collections, digital and marketing services, payment services and enterprise solutions. Webhelp is mainly active in Europe but has a worldwide presence.

    3.   

    On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

    Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

    4.   

    The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

    Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:

    M.9486 — GBL/Webhelp

    Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:

    Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

    Fax +32 22964301

    Postal address:

    European Commission

    Directorate-General for Competition

    Merger Registry

    1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

    BELGIQUE/BELGIË


    (1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

    (2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.


    Top