Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.9786 – RIL/BP/RBML JV)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2020/C 108/05)

On 23 March 2020, 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:

—	Reliance Industries Limited (‘RIL’) (India),

—	BP Global Investments Limited (‘BP GIL’) (UK), controlled by BP,

—	Reliance BP Mobility Limited (‘RBML’) (India).

RIL and BP GIL acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of RBML.

The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—	for RIL: hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail, telecommunications and digital services,

—	for BP: exploration, production and marketing of crude oil and natural gas; refining, marketing, supply and transportation of refined products; petrochemicals and related products; and alternative energy,

—

for RBML: the sale of ground transportation fuels through petroleum retail outlets; the sale of motor spirit and high speed diesel to the transport segment, non-transport segment and on-demand fuelling; non-fuel businesses carried out at petroleum retail outlets; the retail sale of lubricants; and the operation of RIL’s business of aviation fuel storage, into-plane fuel distribution facilities for the sale and/or supply of aviation fuel at airports in India as a service provider to RIL. The scope of the joint venture is limited to operations in India.

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 (2)) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

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.9786 – RIL/BP/RBML JV

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.