Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.9857 — Volvo/Daimler/JV)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2021/C 8/06)

On 23 December 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:

—	Daimler Truck AG (‘Daimler’, Germany), belonging to the Daimler group,

—	Aktiebolaget Volvo (‘Volvo’, Sweden),

—	Daimler Truck Fuel Cell GmbH (the ‘JV’, Germany), currently belonging to the Daimler group.

Volvo and Daimler acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the JV.

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:

—

Volvo is a multinational manufacturing company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Through its shareholdings in companies of the Volvo Group, Volvo is globally active amongst other things in the manufacture and sale of on- and off-highway trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine, on-highway and industrial engines,

—

Daimler, with its registered headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, heads a business unit within the Daimler group, focused on the manufacturing and sale of trucks and buses. The Daimler group globally develops, manufactures and distributes automotive products, mainly passenger cars, trucks, vans and buses,

—

The JV is is currently a 100% subsidiary of the Daimler group, incorporated in Germany, in which Daimler will consolidate its ongoing fuel cell activities. The JV will be active in the development, production, sales and after sales of fuel cell systems. The primary application of the fuel cell technology will be for heavy-duty trucks.

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.

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.9857 — Volvo/Daimler/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’).