Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12295 – VALEA / ROCKAWAY MEDIA / ROCKAWAY ARTS) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2026-03-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Czechia, arts, cultural event, culture, economic concentration, film industry, foundation, merger control, shareholder, television








C_202601395EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/1395


5.3.2026






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.12295 – VALEA / ROCKAWAY MEDIA / ROCKAWAY ARTS)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2026/1395)


1.   
On 24 February 2026, 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:






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VALEA FOUNDATION (‘VALEA’, Principality of Liechtenstein);










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Rockaway Media a.s. (‘Rockaway Media’, Czech Republic), belonging to a business group ultimately controlled by Mr Jakub Havrlant;










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Rockaway Arts a.s. (‘Rockaway Arts’, Czech Republic).




VALEA and Rockaway Media will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Rockaway Arts.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:






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VALEA is a private foundation with no business activities of its own. Its main activity is the (indirect) holding of a sole controlling interest in the KKCG Group. The KKCG Group invests in various business areas, including lotteries and gaming, energy, real estate and information technologies.










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Rockaway Media is a holding company that holds 100 % of the shares in the Rockaway Arts. Rockaway Media is part of a business group, which is ultimately controlled by Mr Jakub Havrlant. The activities of the group primarily concern e-commerce, financial technologies, media and book publishing, venture capital, defence industry products, real estate development investments, blockchain and crypto assets.










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Rockaway Arts is a holding company that holds controlling stakes in several entities focused on the cultural and arts sector in the Czech Republic. Rockaway Arts’s activities include the organisation of film and music festivals and design events, film distribution and operation of a VOD online television service and an online TV channel.






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.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified treatment for certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (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 concentration 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.12295 – VALEA / ROCKAWAY MEDIA / ROCKAWAY ARTS
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

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’).

(2)  
            OJ C 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/1395/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)