Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9802 – Liberty Global/DPG Media/JV) (Text with EEA relevance) 2020/C 233/04
Date: 2020-07-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Internet access provider, economic concentration, merger control, postal and telecommunications services, publishing, television








C_2020233EN.01000501.xml










15.7.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 233/5






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.9802 – Liberty Global/DPG Media/JV)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2020/C 233/04)

1.   
On 7 July 2020, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Liberty Global plc (United Kingdom, ‘Liberty Global’), through its affiliates Telenet Group NV and Telenet BV (Belgium, together ‘Telenet’),










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DPG Media NV (Belgium, ‘DPG Media’),










—


the Joint Venture (Belgium, ‘JV’).




Liberty Global and DPG Media acquire within the meaning of Articles 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the JV.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






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for Liberty Global: through its subsidiary Telenet, the operation of cable and mobile networks in Belgium and parts of Luxembourg, specialising in (i) the supply of broadband internet, fixed telephony services and cable television primarily in Flanders and parts of Brussels; (ii) the supply of mobile telecommunications services in the whole of Belgium; (iii) the operation of Dutch-language pay TV channels and video-on-demand services (Play, Play More and Play Sports), free-to-air TV channels (Vier, Vijf, Zes); and (iv) the operation of the production company Woestijnvis,










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for DPG Media: (i) the supply of Dutch-language daily newspapers (Het Laatste Nieuws, De Morgen) and magazines (e.g. Dag Allemaal, Goed Gevoel, Humo); (ii) the operation of TV channels (VTM, Q2, Vitaya, CAZ, and VTM Kids), an advertising-based video on demand service (VTM Go) and radio stations (Q-music and Joe); and (iii) the operation of a telecom mobile virtual network (Mobile Vikings),










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for the JV: the supply of a subscription-video-on-demand offering under a new and independent brand in Belgium focused on Dutch-speaking consumers.The JV’s offering will primarily consist of local and international films and series. It will neither include (i) sports or adult content; nor (ii) linear channels (of Telenet and/or DPG Media and/or of third parties) and ancillary services linked thereto (e.g. catch-up services).






3.   

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.



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. The following reference should always be specified:
M.9802 – Liberty Global/DPG Media/JV
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
Fax +32 22964301
Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







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