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Case No COMP/M.6276 - AIF VII EURO HOLDINGS/ ASCOMETAL

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REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 17/08/2011

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32011M6276

Office for Publications of the European Union L-2985 Luxembourg

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 17.8.2011 C(2011) 6032

PUBLIC VERSION

SIMPLIFIED MERGER PROCEDURE

DRAFT DECISION

To the notifying party:

Dear Madam(s) and/or Sir(s),

Subject: Case No COMP/M.6276 – AIF VII Euro Holdings/ Ascometal Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004

1.On 15 July 2011 the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation 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 S.A (France) from Sideris Steel S.A.S., an indirect subsidiary of Lucchini S.p.A. which is part of OAO Severstal by way of purchase of shares.

2.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(b) of

OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ("the Merger Regulation"). With effect from 1 December 2009, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ("TFEU") has introduced certain changes, such as the replacement of "Community" by "Union" and "common market" by "internal market". The terminology of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.

Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 216, 22.07.2011, p.1.

3the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.

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.

For the Commission (signed) Alexander ITALIANER Director General

3OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.

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