# C_2012053EN.01001701.xml

| 23.2.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 53/17 |
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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6458 — Universal Music Group/EMI Music)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2012/C 53/08

| 1. | On 17 February 2012, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004( 1 ) by which Universal Music Holdings Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal International Music B.V. (‘Universal’, Netherlands), controlled by Vivendi SA (‘Vivendi’, France), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the recorded music business of EMI Group Global Limited (‘EMI RM’, UK) by way of purchase of shares. |
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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
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for Universal: recorded music, music publishing and a number of other activities which are related to the recorded music business, such as merchandising, artist management, online music video services and, to a very limited extent, recorded music online retail, online music events management and events venue services, —
for Vivendi: Vivendi’s principal activities, apart from its interests in the music sector, include telecommunications in France, pay-TV services in France, games and events ticketing services, —
for EMI RM: recorded music together with very limited activities in relation to merchandising, artist management and certain e-commerce services for third party vendors. | — | for Universal: recorded music, music publishing and a number of other activities which are related to the recorded music business, such as merchandising, artist management, online music video services and, to a very limited extent, recorded music online retail, online music events management and events venue services, | — | for Vivendi: Vivendi’s principal activities, apart from its interests in the music sector, include telecommunications in France, pay-TV services in France, games and events ticketing services, | — | for EMI RM: recorded music together with very limited activities in relation to merchandising, artist management and certain e-commerce services for third party vendors. |
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| — | for Universal: recorded music, music publishing and a number of other activities which are related to the recorded music business, such as merchandising, artist management, online music video services and, to a very limited extent, recorded music online retail, online music events management and events venue services, | | | | | | |
| — | for Vivendi: Vivendi’s principal activities, apart from its interests in the music sector, include telecommunications in France, pay-TV services in France, games and events ticketing services, | | | | | | |
| — | for EMI RM: recorded music together with very limited activities in relation to merchandising, artist management and certain e-commerce services for third party vendors. | | | | | | |

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. |
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| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6458 — Universal Music Group/EMI Music, to the following address:
European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry J-70 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË | European Commission | Directorate-General for Competition | Merger Registry | J-70 | 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel | BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
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| European Commission | | | | | | | |
| Directorate-General for Competition | | | | | | | |
| Merger Registry | | | | | | | |
| J-70 | | | | | | | |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel | | | | | | | |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË | | | | | | | |

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( 1 )  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘EC Merger Regulation’).

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