27.3.2014   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88/19

1.

On 18 March 2014, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking BNP Paribas SA (‘BNPP’, France), through its subsidiary BNP Paribas Personal Finance (‘BNPP PF’, France), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking LaSer SA (‘LaSer’, France), by way of purchase of shares. LaSer is currently controlled jointly by BNPP PF and Galerie Lafayette SA

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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 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.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than ten 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.7153 — BNPP/LaSer, to the following address: