12.5.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 171/8


Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8012 — HAL Investments/Coolblue)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2016/C 171/09)

1.

On 3 May 2016, 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 HAL Investments B.V. (‘HAL’, the Netherlands) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the undertaking Coolblue Beheer B.V. (‘Coolblue’, the Netherlands) by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for HAL: an investment company active in a variety of sectors including media, financial services, building supplies and the maritime sector,

—   for Coolblue: an online retailer offering a variety of consumer electronics, including computers and electrical household appliances, in the Netherlands and Belgium.

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 this 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 M.8012 — HAL Investments/Coolblue, to the following 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.