Case M.7744 - HEIDELBERGCEMENT / ITALCEMENTI
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EN EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Competition Case M.7744 - HEIDELBERGCEMENT / ITALCEMENTI Only the English text is available and authentic. REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE Article 6(1)(b) in conjunction with Art 6(2) Date: 26/05/2016 In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32016M7744 EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 26.5.2016 C(2016) 3269 final In the published version of this decision, some information has been omitted PUBLIC VERSION pursuant to Article 17(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 concerning non-disclosure of business secrets and other confidential information. The omissions are shown thus […]. Where possible the information omitted has been replaced by ranges of figures or a general MERGER PROCEDURE description. To the notifying party: Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel, BELGIË Tel: +32 229-91111. Fax: +32 229-64301. E-mail: [email protected]. I. THE PARTIES ............................................................................................................ 5 II. THE OPERATION ...................................................................................................... 5 III. EU DIMENSION ........................................................................................................ 6 IV. MARKET DEFINITION ............................................................................................ 6 IV.1. Overview of the concerned products ................................................................. 6 IV.2. Grey cement ....................................................................................................... 9 IV.2.1. Relevant product market definition ..................................................... 9 IV.2.1.1. Past decisional practice........................................................ 9 IV.2.1.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ......................................... 9 IV.2.1.3. Responses to the market investigation ................................ 9 IV.2.1.4. Commission’s assessment and conclusion ........................ 10 IV.2.2. Relevant geographic market definition ............................................. 11 IV.2.2.1. Past decisional practice...................................................... 11 IV.2.2.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 12 IV.2.2.3. Responses to the market investigation .............................. 12 IV.2.2.4. Commission’s assessment and conclusion ........................ 12 IV.3. White cement ................................................................................................... 13 IV.3.1. Relevant product market definition ................................................... 13 IV.3.2. Relevant geographic market definition ............................................. 13 IV.4. Aggregates ....................................................................................................... 14 IV.4.1. Relevant product market definition ................................................... 14 IV.4.1.1. Past decisional practice...................................................... 14 IV.4.1.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 15 IV.4.1.3. Commission's conclusion .................................................. 15 IV.4.2. Relevant geographic market definition ............................................. 15 IV.5. Ready-mix concrete ("RMX") ......................................................................... 15 IV.5.1. Relevant product market definition ................................................... 15 IV.5.2. Relevant geographic market definition ............................................. 16 IV.5.3. Conclusion ......................................................................................... 16 V. COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT .............................................................................. 16 V.1. Methodology for the calculation of market shares .......................................... 16 V.2. Grey Cement .................................................................................................... 17 V.2.1. Belgium and its surroundings ............................................................ 18 V.2.1.1. Market shares and concentration levels ............................. 19 V.2.1.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 21 V.2.1.3. Commission's assessment .................................................. 21 V.2.2. French-German border region ........................................................... 24 V.2.2.1. Market shares and concentration levels ............................. 25 V.2.2.2. Non-coordinated effects .................................................... 27 V.2.2.3. Coordinated effects ............................................................ 30 V.2.2.4. Conclusion on the French-German border region ............. 36 2 V.2.3. Southern Italy .................................................................................... 37 V.2.3.1. Market shares and concentration levels ............................. 38 V.2.3.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 39 V.2.3.3. Commission's assessment .................................................. 40 V.2.3.4. Conclusion ......................................................................... 41 V.2.4. Bulgarian-Romanian border region ................................................... 42 V.2.4.1. Market shares and concentration levels ............................. 43 V.2.4.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 44 V.2.4.3. Commission's assessment .................................................. 45 V.2.4.4. Conclusion ......................................................................... 47 V.2.5. Spain .................................................................................................. 47 V.2.5.1. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 48 V.2.5.2. The Commission's assessment ........................................... 48 V.2.5.3. Conclusion ......................................................................... 48 V.3. White Cement .................................................................................................. 48 V.3.1.1. Market shares and concentration levels ............................. 49 V.3.1.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 50 V.3.1.3. Commission's assessment .................................................. 51 V.3.1.4. Conclusion ......................................................................... 52 V.4. Aggregates – Belgium and its surroundings .................................................... 52 V.4.1. Market shares and concentration levels ............................................. 52 V.4.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................................... 53 V.4.3. Commission's assessment .................................................................. 54 V.4.4. Conclusion ......................................................................................... 54 V.5. Ready-mix concrete ("RMX") ......................................................................... 54 V.5.1. Belgium and its surroundings ............................................................ 54 V.5.1.1. Market shares and concentration levels ............................. 55 V.5.1.2. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 55 V.5.1.3. Commission's assessment .................................................. 55 V.5.1.4. Conclusion ......................................................................... 56 V.5.2. French-German border region ........................................................... 56 V.5.2.1. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 58 V.5.2.2. Commission's assessment .................................................. 58 V.5.2.3. Conclusion ......................................................................... 59 V.5.3. Spain .................................................................................................. 59 V.5.3.1. The Notifying Party's arguments ....................................... 60 V.5.3.2. Commission's assessment .................................................. 62 V.5.3.3. Conclusion ......................................................................... 62 V.6. Other products ................................................................................................. 62 VI. COMMITMENTS ..................................................................................................... 64 VI.1. Framework for the assessment of the commitments ....................................... 64 VI.2. Commitments submitted by the Notifying Party ............................................. 64 VI.3. Initial Commitments ........................................................................................ 64 3 VI.3.1. Description of the Initial Commitments ............................................ 64 VI.3.1.1. General perimeter of the divestment ................................. 64 VI.3.1.2. Specific commitments concerning future limestone supply ................................................................................ 65 VI.3.2. Assessment of the Initial commitments ............................................. 67 VI.3.2.1. Suitability