Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.10884 – JTCP / EPCG / EROSKI S. COOP / SUPRATUC2020)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2022/C 446/08)

On 14 November 2022, 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:

—	EP Corporate Group, a.s., (‘EPCG’, Czechia), solely controlled by Mr. Daniel Křetínský,

—	J&T CAPITAL PARTNERS, a.s., (‘JTCP’, Czechia), indirectly controlled by PT Equity Investments SICAV, a Czech based investment fund established by Mr. Patrik Tkáč and J&T Private Equity Group Limited (‘JTPEG’, Cyprus),

—	Eroski, S. Coop, (‘Eroski’, Spain), belonging to EROSKI Group,

—	Supratuc2020, S.L., (‘Supratuc2020’, Spain), jointly controlled by EPCG, E-Commerce and Media Investments, a.s. (‘ECMI’, Czechia) and Eroski.

EPCG, JTCP and Eroski will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Supratuc2020.

The concentration is accomplished by way of contract or any other means.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:

—	EPCG is a Czech investment holding company, active mainly in energy, infrastructure and media. The ultimate owner of EPCG is one of the leading investors, among others, in the food distribution sector in Europe,

—	JTCP is a Czech holding company, currently active neither in the food sector nor on any vertically related market either in Spain or internationally,

—

EROSKI as a consumer cooperative is a distribution company, a consumer organisation and a cooperative project in which consumers and employees share the leading role and authority. It is the leading company of the EROSKI Group, a retail distribution cooperative for daily consumer goods and services in Spain and is a benchmark in the regions of Galicia, the Basque Country, Navarre, as well as Catalonia and the Balearic Islands (through Supratuc2020),

—

Supratuc2020 is a Spanish holding company with 100 % ownership in two companies active in the retail sale of daily consumer goods in Spain: Caprabo and Cecosa. Supratuc2020’s activities are focused on the retail sale of daily consumer goods segment through supermarkets located in the Spanish regions of Catalonia (through Caprabo) and the Balearic Islands (through Cecosa), respectively.

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.

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.10884 – JTCP / EPCG / EROSKI S. COOP / SUPRATUC2020

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.