Home / Business and Economy / Vivendi's EU Antitrust Challenge Fails
Vivendi's EU Antitrust Challenge Fails
3 Jun
Summary
- EU court rejected Vivendi's challenge against information demands.
- Vivendi feared breach of journalist privacy and source protection.
- A fine of up to 10% of global revenue is possible for gun-jumping.
Europe's General Court has dismissed Vivendi's appeal against EU antitrust regulators. The French publisher had contested the European Commission's authority to demand information concerning its 2023 acquisition of Lagardere. Vivendi argued that such requests could compromise journalist privacy and source-protection rules.
The Luxembourg-based court ruled that Vivendi's grounds for appeal were invalid, upholding the Commission's investigatory powers. This decision means the Commission can proceed with its examination of the Lagardere transaction. The EU executive is still evaluating whether Vivendi violated merger regulations by completing the acquisition without prior approval.
If found guilty of "gun-jumping," Vivendi could face significant penalties, potentially amounting to 10% of its worldwide annual revenue. The EU has a history of imposing substantial fines on companies for breaching merger rules, using them as a deterrent against non-compliance.
