CELEX: 32021M10187
Language: en
Date: 2021-04-30 00:00:00
Title: Commission Decision of 30/04/2021 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.10187 - BBC / ITV / CHANNEL 4 / FREESAT) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
                                                                Brussels, 30.4.2021
                                                                C(2021) 3232 final
                                                                                PUBLIC VERSION
                                                                British Broadcasting Corporation
                                                                201 Wood Lane, White City
                                                                W12 7TS - London
                                                                United Kingdom
                                                                Channel Four Television Corporation
                                                                124 Horseferry Road
                                                                SW1P 2TX - London
                                                                United Kingdom
                                                                ITV Network Limited
                                                                2 Waterhouse Square, 140 Holborn
                                                                EC1N 2AE - London
                                                                United Kingdom
Subject:        Case M.10187 -BBC / ITV / CHANNEL 4 / FREESAT
                Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation
                                       1
                (EC) No 139/2004 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European
                                    2
                Economic Area
Dear Sir or Madam,
1.      On 8 April 2021, the European Commission received notification of a proposed
        concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which The British
        Broadcasting Corporation (United Kingdom), ITV Network Limited (United
        Kingdom) and Channel 4 Television Corporation (United Kingdom) acquire within
        the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and Article 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control
        over the whole of Freesat Limited (United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares.3
1       OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’). With effect from 1 December 2009, the Treaty on
        the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU’) has introduced certain changes, such as the
        replacement of ‘Community’ by ‘Union’ and ‘common market’ by ‘internal market’. The terminology
        of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.
2       OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3 (the ‘EEA Agreement’).
3       Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C143, 23.04.2021, p12.
Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel, BELGIË
Tel: +32 229-91111. Fax: +32 229-64301. E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu.
 ---pagebreak--- 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
       for BBC: public sector broadcaster providing a wide range of TV and radio
        channels as well as iPlayer and other on-demand services which are accessible to
        licence fee payers throughout the UK through a variety of platforms and devices,
       for ITV: integrated producer broadcaster, creates, owns and distributes high-
        quality content on multiple platforms globally. It broadcasts a large portfolio of
        commercial channels including the main ITV channel,
       for Channel 4: publicly-owned and commercially-funded UK public service
        broadcaster which operates a portfolio of channels accessible on a free to view
        basis via a variety of platforms and devices,
       for Freesat: joint venture between the BBC and ITV which provides a satellite
        broadcasting platform to c. 1.1 million homes (free to view linear TV and on
        demand content over satellite, as well as paid for on demand content). It also
        provides technical and consultancy support to a small number of international
        customers to whom it licences certain technology and knowhow associated with
        free to view TV services.
3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that
   the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of
   paragraph 5(b) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of
   certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.4
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European
   Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it
   compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is
   adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation and Article 57 of
   the EEA Agreement.
                                                    For the Commission
                                                    (Signed)
                                                    Olivier GUERSENT
                                                    Director-General
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.
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