32017M8221

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 2.3.2017

C(2017) 1584 final

To the notifying parties:

Subject:Case M.8221 - BLACKSTONE / OFFICEFIRST
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 1 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area 2

Dear Sir or Madam,

1.On 07 February 2017, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which the undertaking The Blackstone Group, L.P. (“Blackstone”, USA), indirectly via funds affiliated with and controlled by it acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking OFFICEFIRST Immobilien AG (“OFFICEFIRST”, Germany), by way of purchase of shares. 3

2.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-for Blackstone: global asset manager with offices in Europe and Asia.

-for OFFICEFIRST: owner of a commercial real estate portfolio in Germany. This commercial real estate portfolio comprises mainly office spaces. Some properties are related to other types of use such as hotels, parking spaces or storage.

3.After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraph 5(c) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. 4

4.For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement.

For the Commission

(Signed)

Johannes LAITENBERGER
Director-General

Choose the experimental features you want to try