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Document 52025M11956
Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11956 – UMG / DOWNTOWN)
Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11956 – UMG / DOWNTOWN)
Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11956 – UMG / DOWNTOWN)
PUB/2025/707
OJ C, C/2025/3481, 26.6.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3481/oj (BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, GA, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)
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Official Journal |
EN C series |
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C/2025/3481 |
26.6.2025 |
Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11956 – UMG / DOWNTOWN)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2025/3481)
1.
On 16 June 2025, 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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Universal Music Group N.V. (‘UMG’, the Netherlands), |
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Downtown Music Holdings LLC A (‘Downtown’, United States of America), ultimately controlled by The Myers Business Trust, the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. |
UMG will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of Downtown.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.
The concentration has been referred to the Commission by the Dutch Competition Authority pursuant to Article 22(3) of the Merger Regulation.
The referral was subsequently joined by Austrian Competition Authority.
2.
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:|
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UMG owns and operates globally active businesses in music recording, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content, |
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Downtown is a global music company providing artist and label services both to independent record companies as well as to artists directly. It also provides music publishing, royalty collection and licensing 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 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.11956 – UMG / DOWNTOWN
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:
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European Commission |
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Directorate-General for Competition |
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Merger Registry |
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1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
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BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3481/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)