Commission Decision of 29/08/2011 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.6308 - VFC / TIMBERLAND) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic) |EUROPEAN COMMISSION | Brussels , 29.8.2011 C(2011)6254 PUBLIC VERSION SIMPLIFIED MERGER PROCEDURE To the notifying party: Dear Madam(s) and/or Sir(s), Subject: Case No COMP/M.6308 – VFC/ Timberland Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 [1] 1. On 27.07.2011, the European Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which V.F.
Corporation (“VF”, USA) acquire sole control of The Timberland Company (“Timberland” USA) and all of its subsidiaries within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation by way of purchase of shares. 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: - for VF: the design, development and distribution of branded lifestyle apparel and related goods through a number of consumer brands such as "The North Face", "Lee", "Wrangler"," Reef"," Vans" and "Napapijri". VF is a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange and operates worldwide, - for Timberland: the design, development and marketing of premium quality footwear and apparel and accessories for men, women and children.
Timberland is a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange and operates in North America, Europe and Asia. [2] 3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraph 5(c)(i) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 [3] . 4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement.
This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation. For the Commission (signed) Alexander ITALIANER Director General [1]OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ("the Merger Regulation"). With effect from 1 December 2009, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ("TFEU") has introduced certain changes, such as the replacement of "Community" by "Union" and "common market" by "internal market". The terminology of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision. [2] Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 227, 02.08.2001, p.1. [3] OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p.
32.