1.   

On 5 March 2021, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).

This notification concerns the following undertakings:

—	Deme Concessions NV (‘Deme Concessions’, Belgium),

—	Caisse des Dépôts et des Consignations (‘CDC’, France),

—	Région Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée (‘Occitania Region’, France),

—	Port-La Nouvelle (‘Port-La Nouvelle’, France), commercial port belonging to the Occitania Region.

Deme Concessions, through the investment company Nou Vela, CDC and the Occitania Region acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the operation of the commercial port of Port-La Nouvelle, through a single-purpose public-private partnership (‘société d’économie mixte à opération unique’).

The concentration is accomplished by way of a public service concession contract.

2.   

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—	for Deme Concessions: management of concessions in maritime infrastructure in particular,

—	for CDC: public loans and investment, and management of private funds to which the public authorities wish to provide special protection,

—	for the Occitania Region: French regional authority to which the commercial port of Port-La Nouvelle belongs,

—	for Port-La Nouvelle: commercial port belonging to the Occitania Region and currently managed by the Aude Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

3.   

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2), it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

4.   

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:

M.10119 — Deme Concessions/CDC/Occitania Region/Port-La Nouvelle

Observations can be sent to the Commission by e-mail, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:

Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Fax +32 22964301

Postal address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË