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EU Court Rejects Vivendi Challenge Over Information Requests in Lagardère Probe

By  |  June 3, 2026
Vivendi

Vivendi has suffered a legal setback after a European Union court upheld the powers of EU competition authorities to seek information as part of their investigation into the French media group’s takeover of Lagardère.

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    The ruling, delivered Wednesday by the General Court in Luxembourg, supports the European Commission’s ability to request documents connected to its review of the acquisition, according to Reuters. Vivendi had sought to overturn those requests, arguing that complying could jeopardize the confidentiality of journalists’ sources and conflict with privacy protections.

    The court dismissed those objections and found no basis to invalidate the Commission’s actions.

    “Since none of the grounds invoked by the applicant are valid, the appeal should be dismissed in its entirety,” the court said.

    The case is linked to the Commission’s ongoing examination of Vivendi’s conduct during its acquisition of Lagardère. EU officials began scrutinizing the company after it moved ahead with completing the transaction before obtaining the required regulatory authorization, a practice regulators refer to as gun-jumping, according to Reuters.

    Related: Vivendi Concludes Acquisition of Lagardère in Media Industry Power Shift

    The European Commission has not yet concluded its investigation. Per Reuters, a finding that Vivendi violated EU merger rules could expose the company to a penalty worth as much as 10% of its annual global turnover.

    Vivendi did not immediately comment on the court’s decision, according to Reuters.

    The ruling represents an important victory for EU antitrust authorities, who have increasingly emphasized strict enforcement of merger procedures. Reuters reported that Brussels has imposed substantial penalties on companies in recent years to discourage businesses from bypassing or undermining the bloc’s merger review process.

    While Wednesday’s judgment does not determine whether Vivendi breached competition rules, it confirms that regulators can continue seeking the information they consider necessary as the investigation proceeds. The Commission is expected to issue a final decision on the matter at a later date, according to Reuters.

    Source: Reuters