EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Competition

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 18/07/2018

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32018M8891

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 18.7.2018 C(2018) 4844 final

PUBLIC VERSION

To the notifying parties

Subject: Case M.8891 – PUIG/BSH/Noustique Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area

Dear Sir or Madam,

1.1. On 26 June 2018, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which Puig International, S.A. (Switzerland, ‘Puig International’), ultimately controlled by Puig, S.L., and BSH Hausgeräte GmbH (Germany, ‘BSH’), ultimately controlled by Robert Bosch GmbH, acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control over the whole of the undertaking Noustique Perfumes, S.L. (Spain, ‘Noustique’) by way of purchase of shares.

2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

- for Puig International: manufacturing and distribution of fragrances and cosmetics including owned brands, such as Carolina Herrera or Nina Ricci; licenses and celebrity fragrances;

- for BSH: manufacturing and distribution of home appliances via its global brands Bosch, Siemens, Gaggenau and Neff and different local brands. Bosch supplies technology and services for the automotive, industrial technology, consumer goods (e.g. home appliances) and energy and building technology industries on a worldwide basis;

1 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.

2 OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3 (the 'EEA Agreement').

3 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 233, 04.07.2018, p. 19.

Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel, BELGIË

Tel: +32 229-91111. Fax: +32 229-64301. E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu.

- for Noustique: joint venture for the development and promotion of a new product in the perfume sector.

3.3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraphs 5 (a) and (b) 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

4 OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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