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Case No COMP/M.6724 - PAI PARTNERS/ MARCOLIN

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 29/11/2012

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32012M6724

Office for Publications of the European Union L-2985 Luxembourg

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 29.11.2012 C(2012) 8933

PUBLIC VERSION

SIMPLIFIED MERGER PROCEDURE

To the notifying party

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

Subject: Case No COMP/M.6724 - PAI PARTNERS/ MARCOLIN Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004

1.On 23 October 2012, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which the undertaking PAI partners S.A.S ("PAI", France) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of MARCOLIN S.p.A. ("Marcolin", Italy).

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

− PAI is a private equity firm, focused on investing in the acquisition of medium to large-sized companies, headquartered or managed in Europe, which operate in different industry sectors,

− Marcolin is active in Italy and abroad in the manufacturing and wholesale distribution of eyewear, notably eyeglass frames and sunglasses. Marcolin manufactures and distributes under its own brands, but also on behalf of fashion brands.

1OJ 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.

2Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 335, 1.11.2012, p. 18.

Commission européenne, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE / Europese Commissie, 1049 Brussel - BELGIË. Telephone: (32-2) 299 11 11.

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)ii of the 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

OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.

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