22.7.2011   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 216/33


Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6276 — AIF VII Euro Holdings/Ascometal)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2011/C 216/13

1.

On 15 July 2011, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking AIF VII Euro Holdings, L.P. (‘AIF VII’) — an investment fund managed by Apollo Management VII L.P., which is an affiliate of Apollo Management L.P. (collectively, ‘Apollo’, USA) — acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Ascometal SA (France) from Sideris Steel S.A.S., an indirect subsidiary of Lucchini SpA which is part of OAO Severstal by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

for undertaking Apollo: investment in companies involved in various businesses throughout the world such as chemical, cruise line, logistics, paper, packaging, and real estate brokerage businesses,

for undertaking Ascometal.: manufacture of special long steel products (semi-finished products, hot rolled products and cold finished products) in alloy and non-alloy grades.

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC 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 EC Merger Regulation (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. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6276 — AIF VII Euro Holdings/Ascometal, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË


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

(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).