European Union antitrust regulators will decide by Nov. 30 whether to clear French media company Vivendi’s proposed acquisition of French peer Lagardere, a European Commission filing showed on Tuesday.
Vivendi put in a request for EU approval on Monday, according to the bloc’s competition enforcer.
The deal, which would combine France’s two biggest publishing groups, Lagardere’s Hachette and Vivendi’s Editis, has already drawn criticism from French independent publishers, including its most famous one, Gallimard.
Related: Vivendi Paris Is Hunting For Acquisitions In Pay-TV
The Commission can clear the deal with or without remedies after its preliminary review, or it can open a four-month long investigation if it has serious concerns.
Vivendi’s top investor, billionaire Vincent Bollore, is considering selling Editis to allay possible EU antitrust concerns.
“(The sale) would be primarily carried out by distributing Editis shares to Vivendi’s shareholders and simultaneously having the shares admitted to trading on the Euronext Paris stock exchange,” Vivendi said in statement on Tuesday.
Featured News
Plaintiffs Seek Communications In Antitrust Case Against Pioneer
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
UK Government Approves Vodafone-Hutchison Merger
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Senate Majority Leader Announces Plan for AI Regulation Framework
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
BBVA Initiates Aggressive Takeover Bid for Sabadell
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
TikTok to Label AI-Generated Content Amid Election Interference Concerns
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Ecosystems
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Mapping Antitrust onto Digital Ecosystems
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Ecosystems and Competition Law: A Law and Political Economy Approach
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Ecosystem Theories of Harm: What is Beyond the Buzzword?
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Open Ecosystems: Benefits, Challenges, and Implications for Antitrust
May 9, 2024 by
CPI