Case No COMP/M.5686 - VITOL HOLDING/ PETROPLUS REFINING ANTWERP/ PETROPLUS REFINING ANTWERP BITUMEN

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REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 09/12/2009

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32009M5686

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 9.12.2009 SG-Greffe(2009) D/11038 C(2009) 10088

PUBLIC VERSION

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

To the notifying party:

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

Subject: Case No COMP/M.5686 - VITOL HOLDING/ PETROPLUS REFINING ANTWERP / PETROPLUS REFINING ANTWERP BITUMEN Notification of 09.11.2009 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 276, 17.11.2009, p.40

1.On 09.11.2009, On 09.11.2009, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 by which the undertaking EUROTANK BELGIUM B.V. ("Eurotank", Belgium), ultimately controlled by Vitol Holding B.V. ("Vitol", Netherlands), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the undertakings Petroplus Refining Antwerp N.V. ("Petroplus", Belgium) and Petroplus Refining Antwerp Bitumen N.V. ("Petroplus Bitumen", Belgium) by way of purchase of shares.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

–– for Petroplus/Petroplus Bitumen: active in the production of bitumen, gasoildesulphurization and the operation of a storage terminal.

–– for Vitol: trade with oil and gas, exploration and production activities in the oil and gas sector, inter alia.

1OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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

2.After examination of the notification, the Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 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.

For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the common market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.

For the Commission (signed) Philip LOWE Director General

2OJ C 56, 05.3.2005, p. 32.

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