Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.6364 — DCDC Holdings/Universal/WB/DCDC Joint Venture) — Candidate case for simplified procedure  Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2011-09-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: communications industry, economic concentration, film industry, merger control








C_2011257EN.01001001.xml










1.9.2011   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 257/10





Prior notification of a concentration
(Case COMP/M.6364 — DCDC Holdings/Universal/WB/DCDC Joint Venture)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
2011/C 257/10






1.


On 24 August 2011, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings AMC Entertainment Inc. (‘AMC’, USA), Cinemark USA, Inc. (‘Cinemark’, USA) and Regal Entertainment Group (‘Regal’, USA) controlled by Anschutz Corporation (USA), (all together ‘DCDC Holdings’), Universal City Studios LLC (‘Universal’, USA) controlled by Comcast Corporation (‘Comcast’, USA), and Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (‘WB’, USA) controlled by Time Warner Inc. (‘Time Warner’, USA) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition LLC (‘DCDC joint venture’, USA) by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.










2.


The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


for AMC: motion picture exhibition in the USA,










—


for Cinemark: motion picture exhibition in the USA and Latin America,










—


for Regal and Anschutz Corporation: motion picture exhibition in the USA and private equity investment,










—


for Universal and Comcast: media and entertainment in television networks, filmed entertainment, operation of cable systems in the USA, internet and telephone services,










—


for WB and Time Warner: media and entertainment in television networks, filmed entertainment and publishing,










—


for DCDC joint venture: digital distribution of motion pictures.














3.


On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.










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.6364 — DCDC Holdings/Universal/WB/DCDC Joint Venture, to the following address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




J-70




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË










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

(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).