Spanish competition regulators CNMC have set a 2.7 million euro fine on AGEDI and AIE, the country’s largest copyright brokers, over alleged Abuse of Dominance violations. Both companies are accused of devising an unequal remuneration system in their handling of music rights, with both groups charging higher rates to private radio stations for the same content, with lower rates offered to publicly owned broadcasters. The violations, spanning from 2006 to 2014, prompted CNMC to strike AGEDI with a 1.5 million euro fine, with smaller counterpart AIE earning a similar, 1.2 million sanction.
Both organizations are charged with applying different rates for broadcasters, depending on whether they’re public or private, or whether they belonged to the AERC, which represents almost all of Spain’s private broadcasters and reaches up to 80% of listeners. Private broadcasters who did not belong to the AERC would sometimes pay over 5 timers as much as their counterparts for music rights.
The CNMC’s ruling determined that the public broadcasters benefitted from effective subsidies, whose design and application lacked objectivity. This would have given them an unfair advantage over private competitors, prompting the regulator’s action.
Source: El País
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Google and South Carolina Clash Over State Records Demand
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Telefonica Germany Teams Up with Amazon Web Services to Migrate 5G Customers
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Federal Judge Grants $7.4 Million Settlement in Pork Price-Fixing Case
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Wilson Sonsini Bolsters Antitrust and Competition Practice with Key Partner Returns
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
EU to Scrutinize Telecom Italia’s Network Sale to KKR
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI