C_202405759EN.000101.fmx.xml

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.11687 – ALFI RE / PLAVI RE / PLANET KOPER)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(C/2024/5759)

On 13 September 2024, 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:

—	ALFI RE, upravljanje alternativnih investicijskih skladov, d.o.o. (‘ALFI RE’, Slovenia), ultimately controlled by Matjaž Filipič and Bojan Kunovar), in its own name and on behalf of ALFI RE special investment fund,

—	ERSTE d.o.o. – društvo za upravljanje obveznim i dobrovoljnim mirovinskim fondovima (‘ERSTE d.o.o.’, Croatia), controlled by Erste Group Bank AG (‘Erste Group Bank’, Austria),

—	Shopping center Planet Koper, located in the Slovenian coastal city of Koper (with the address at Ankaranska cesta 2, 6000 Koper) (‘Planet Koper’).

ALFI RE and ERSTE d.o.o. will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Planet Koper.

The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of assets.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:

—

ALFI RE, invests in commercial real estate, predominantly located in Slovenia and Croatia. It is part of the ALFI Group, a regional group of alternative investment funds. In turn, ALFI Group is part of the KF Finance Group, which besides management of alternative investment funds, combines companies active in the field of debt collection and credit reporting, non-performing loans servicing, accounting as well as financial consulting and valuation.

—	ERSTE d.o.o. manages mandatory and voluntary pension funds, while being part of the ERSTE Group, a provider of services in retail and corporate banking, capital markets, public sector and interbank business.

The business activities of Planet Koper comprise of a shopping center which combines retail outlets with local and international brands, as well as a supermarket, dining options and a cinema.

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

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.11687 – ALFI RE / PLAVI RE / PLANET KOPER

Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:

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

Postal address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2) OJ C 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.