François Blanc is a PhD Student at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas. François worked as a trainee for the French Merger Control Authority (DGCCRF), the Public Law department at Clifford Chance (Paris), and the United Nations Compensation Commission (Geneva). His research interest mainly lies in competition law, especially merger control law, and its relations with public law.
2009
The operation By a letter dated 4 January 2008, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment authorised a merger between two compagnies specialised in photography and mobile telephony products and services : France Telecom SA and Compagnie Européenne de Téléphonie SA (para. 1.1) (...)
1821
The operation By a letter dated 7 December 2007, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment authorised the merger between two companies in the sector of daily and weekly regional press and Internet : Groupe Hersant Media (hereinafter « GHM ») and Groupe Lagardère (hereinafter « (...)
4484
The operation By a letter dated 13 November 2007, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment authorized in phase II the merger between the trade exhibitions and conferences activities of the Industry and Trade Chamber of Paris (« CCIP ») and the Unibail holding SA (« Unibail »). The (...)
1305
Background In its decision dated 21 September 2005, the French Competition Council sanctioned, on the basis of Article L. 420-1 of the French Commercial Code (FCC), the provision mirroring Art. 81 EC, eight companies (Cilia, Somoclest, CCB Dufaylite, DBS, Sort et Chasle, Soe Stuc et Saff, (...)
2602
The operation By a letter of 10 09 2007, the Minister cleared in phase I a merger between Spir and Schibsted compagnies. It created a jointly owned compagny between the notifying parties. The new company controls both parties’ activities in the sector of classified advertisements for the sale of (...)
2298
The operation By a letter dated 31 August 2007, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment following the French Competition Council’s opinion dated 16 June 2007, authorised the acquisition of the supply department of Financière Caraïbe (“FINCAR”) by Central d’Achat France Outre Mer (...)
3064
The operation The operation concerned the acquisition of the Spie Rail company by the Colas company, a subsidiary of the Bouygues group active in the road and railway works. Through this transaction, Colas will acquire the sole control of Spie Rail. Spie Rail is a company specialised in the (...)
1825
The operation By a letter dated 1st December 2006, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment following the French Competition Council’s opinion dated 20 October 2006, authorised the acquisition of Marine Harvest N.V. (“Marine Harvest”) by Pan Fish ASA (“Pan Fish”), in the sector of (...)
2293
The operation By a letter dated 13 November 2007, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment authorized the merger between the public audiovisual group France Télévision (“France Télévisions”) and TF1, a private audiovisual group. The merger created “France 24”, the French TV channel of (...)
2616
The operation In this decision dated 28 September 2006, the Minister granted in phase I a conditional clearance of the acquisition of all of shares of the French company Celliande by Ista International GmbH (“Ista”). Ista specialises in building of consumption-dependent billing of energy, water (...)
2069
The operation By a letter dated 12 August 2005, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment gave conditional clearance to the horizontal merger between the electronic communication groups, Neuf Telecom and Cegetel. Neuf Telecom and Cegetel both developed an important (...)
2416
The operation By a letter dated 31 May 2006, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment authorizes the merger between Spir Communication SA (Spir) and the Société des Gratuits de Guyenne et Gascogne SA (S3G). The merger created a joint-venture, “S3G Com”, running the publication of (...)
2234
The operation By a letter dated 6 January 2006, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry authorized the merger between two groups specialized in logistic and transport of fresh and frozen foods: STEF-TFE and Cryologistic. STEF-TFE acquired 100% share of Cryologistic Developpement, (...)
2260
The operation By a letter dated 30 November 2005, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment grants in phase I a conditional clearance of the acquisition of all of shares of the French company Facom by the American company The Stanley Works (“Stanley”). Stanley and Facom are (...)
2280
The operation By a letter dated 10 November 2005, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry authorized the merger between two groups of large stores : the French group Carrefour group (“Carrefour”) and Penny Market. Carrefour acquired, by its subsidiary “DIA”, 100% share of Penny (...)
3336
The operation By a letter dated 28 October 2005, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment, following the French Competition Council’s opinion dated 11 October 2005, authorised the acquisition by the Société d’investissement et de participations (SIPA” or “the party”) of three press (...)
2475
The operation By a letter dated 28 September 2005, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment authorized the merger between two entertainment firms in the casinos sector: Groupe Partouche (“Partouche”) and Groupe de Divonne (“Divonne”). Partouche acquires Divonne (page 1). The market (...)
2244
The operation By a letter dated 22 August 2005, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry authorized the merger between the German law company, Parfümerie Douglas Company GmbH (“Douglas”), and the French law company, SA Lavigne (“Lavigne”). Douglas and Lavigne are specialized in (...)
1890
The operation By a short letter dated 7 April 2004, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment authorised the merger between Leroy Merlin participation (hereafter : “Leroy Merlin”) and Domaxel A&S. Leroy Merlin is specialised in do-it-yourself and home improvement products (...)
1814
The operation By a letter dated 24 December 2003, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry authorised the acquisition of PUM Plastiques SA (“PUM Platisques”) by Point P, subsidiary of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain (“Saint-Gobain”). Saint-Gobain is specialised in building materials, which (...)
2499
The operation In its decision dated 7 November 2003, the Minister cleared with remedy the merger between the Carrefour group, owner of the retail food discount stores operating under the ED brand, and the company Sonnenglut Weinkellerei, owner of food discount stores operating under the Treff (...)
4361
How many mergers have been cleared with conditions since 2006? What is the trend? Is there a practical way to list all the remedies imposed by the EC Commission? What are the typical remedies imposed in horizontal mergers? And in non-horizontal mergers? Are there any differences between (...)
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