By its Decision no 848/2024 adopted on the 13th of May 2024, the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC), in Chamber, unanimously approved, pursuant to Articles 5-10 of Law 3959/2011, the notified concentration concerning the acquisition of joint control by the companies “STRIX ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD” and “FARALLON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L.L.C.” over “EUROMEDICA MEDICAL SERVICES S.A.”, within the meaning of Article 5 para. 2 (b) of Law 3959/2011.
The above concentration meets the turnover thresholds set in Article 6 (1) of Law 3959/2011, as in force, and does not have a community dimension because, on the one hand, the relevant turnover thresholds provided for in Article 1 (2) of Council Regulation (EC) no. 139/2004[1] ("the EC Merger Regulation"), as the combined aggregate worldwide turnover of all the undertakings concerned does not exceed EUR 5 billion and, on the other hand, the alternative/ancillary thresholds of Article 1 (3) of the above Regulation are not met either.
The relevant product markets concerned by the concentration are as follows: a) the private general hospital market and b) the private diagnostic center market. Τhe relevant geographic market is the entire territory of Greece.
There are no affected markets at a horizontal and/or vertical level in the concentration considered, as the following statutory criteria are not cumulatively met in any relevant market: a) activity of at least two (2) of the parties to the concentration and a combined market share of at least 15% (regarding the horizontally affected markets) or b) activity of at least one of the parties to the concentration and a combined market share of at least 25% (regarding the vertically affected markets). In this respect, according to the evidence in the case file, the concentration is not expected to give rise to any conglomerate effects.
The competent Chamber of the Hellenic Competition Commission unanimously approved the notified concentration, pursuant to Article 8 (3) of Law 3959/2011, the acquisition of joint control by the companies “STRIX ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD” and “FARALLON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L.L.C.” over “EUROMEDICA HEALTHCARE SERVICES S.A.” as, although falling within the scope of Article 6 (1) of the Greek Law 3959/2011, it does not raise serious concerns as to its compatibility with competition rules in the individual markets concerned.
[1] See Council Regulation (EC) no. 139/2004 of 20 January 2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (the EC Merger Regulation) Official Journal L 024 , 29/01/2004 P. 0001 – 0022.