32016M8177

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 15.11.2016

C(2016) 7494 final

To the Notifying party:

Subject:Case M.8177 – AMC UK / ODEON AND UCI CINEMAS
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 1 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area 2

Dear Sir or Madam,

1.On 19 October 2016, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation, and following a partial referral pursuant to Article 4(4) of the Merger Regulation, 3 by which the undertaking AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (United States of America) belonging to the Dalian Wanda Group (People's Republic of China) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of Odeon and UCI Cinemas (United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares. 4

2.The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

-for AMC: AMC is active in cinema exhibition services in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. It operates 386 cinemas, the majority of which are located in the USA and only one of which is located in Europe (in the United Kingdom). It also has interests in cinema screen advertising and film distribution activities in the USA, though does not itself engage in these businesses directly.

-for Odeon and UCI Cinemas: Odeon and UCI Cinemas operates 242 cinemas under the Odeon, UCI, UCI Kinowelt and Cinesa brands in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany and Austria. Odeon also has a number of joint ventures in areas ancillary to film exhibition services, including a cinema screen advertising company and a film distribution joint venture both based in the United Kingdom and an online ticket sales platform in Germany. Odeon has a limited interest in cinema exhibition services in China.

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. 5

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)

Johannes LAITENBERGER
Director-General

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