18/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Mergers: PGGM-EBN-GDF Suez/NOGAT. On 18 October, the European Commission gave the go-ahead to the acquisition of joint control over Northern Offshore Gas Transport (“NOGAT”) by PGGM, EBN, all of the Netherlands, and GDF Suez of France. NOGAT operates the Northern Offshore Upstream Gas Pipeline System, which transports and treats natural gas from offshore gas fields in the North Sea. PGGM is a Dutch pension fund. EBN and GDF Suez are active in the energy sector across the value chain. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would not raise competition concerns, because prior to the present transaction PGGM had no activities in the energy sector and NOGAT is already currently controlled by EBN and GDF Suez. The transaction, notified on 17 September, was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. (FG/transl.fl)