commiss decis juli declar concentr compat common market function eea agreement case comp soni bmg notifi document number english text authent text eea relev ec juli commiss adopt decis merger case council regul eec decemb control concentr undertak articl regul confidenti version full decis found authent languag case work languag commiss websit director gener competit address http europa eu int comm competit index en html januari commiss receiv notif articl regul eec merger regul transact bertelsmann ag bertelsmann soni corpor america belong soni group soni contribut global record music busi parti exclud soni activ japan joint ventur joint ventur oper soni bmg activ discoveri develop artist call amp subsequ market sale record music soni bmg engag relat activ music publish manufactur distribut bertelsmann intern media compani world wide activ music record publish televis radio book magazin publish print servic book music club bertelsmann activ record music wholli own subsidiari bertelsmann music group bmg bmg record label includ arista record jive record zomba rca soni global activ music record publish industri consum electron entertain record music act soni music entertain soni label includ columbia record group epic record group soni classic advisori committe concentr meet juli deliv favour opinion draft decis grant clearanc submit commiss hear offic report date juli view parti heard respect relev market record music commiss found relev product market record music includ amp promot sale market record music subdivid distinct product market base genr intern pop local pop classic music compil purpos present case left open abovement genr categori constitut separ market concentr lead creation strengthen domin posit market definit consid market investig confirm number factor amp price sale market take place nation strong demand local repertoir limit intern presenc independ record compani relev geograph market record music consid nation onlin music support find market investig commiss consid onlin music part market physic record music due differ product distribut identifi distinct product market onlin music wholesal market licenc onlin music ii retail market distribut onlin music purpos present case commiss consid wholesal market licenc onlin music retail market distribut onlin music nation scope chang futur depend cross border develop onlin music licens music distribut music publish base demand suppli side consider commiss found indic exist separ product market music publish exploit right categori mechan perform synchronis print right exact scope relev product market left open competit assess market definit consid market investig confirm geograph scope market essenti spite cross border element nation licenc fee mechan perform right gener collect nation basi purpos present case exact scope relev geograph market left open competit assess market definit consid ii assess strengthen collect domin record music market introduct commiss investig provid suffici conclus evid exist collect domin posit quot major quot soni bmg univers emi warner market music record base case law european court airtour judgment prerequisit exist collect domin posit market player common understand term coordin ii abil monitor term adher iii exist deterr mechan case deviat iv parti actual potenti competitor custom effect jeopardis benefit expect coordin assess exist collect domin posit market record music music major commiss analys year coordin price polici major establish eea member state purpos commiss investig develop major wholesal price wholesal retail member state period commiss analysi focus develop averag net wholesal price ppd publish price dealer gross net price ratio invoic discount retrospect discount assess coordin major wholesal price commiss analys parallel develop inflat correct averag net price top singl album major largest member state consid repres sampl top singl album account approxim major respect total music sale commiss examin price coordin reach list price ppd focal point thirdli commiss analys major discount align suffici transpar order effect monitor competit behaviour franc germani itali spain uk basi net averag price commiss found parallel similar develop major price larger market franc germani itali spain uk observ suffici conclud coordin price behaviour exist past commiss investig addit element list price discount align suffici transpar provid suffici evid coordin commiss found indic ppd focal point align major list price member state discount investig level discount vari extent major type discount suffici transpar establish exist collus commiss analys market record music characteris featur facilit collect domin product homogen transpar retali mechan product homogen commiss found content individu album differenti price market standardis extent heterogen content implic price reduc transpar market make tacit collus difficult requir monitor individu album level respect transpar commiss found public weekli chart stabil common custom base major monitor retail market mean weekli report increas market transpar facilit monitor coordin polici investig monitor campaign discount requir monitor album level reduc transpar market make tacit collus difficult balanc commiss found suffici evid major overcom transpar deficit past retali commiss explor major retali quot cheat quot major temporari return competit behaviour exclus deviat compil joint ventur agreement commiss found suffici evid retali mechan appli threat past netherland sweden ireland austria belgium denmark finland norwai portug greec smaller member state commiss equal found consider degre parallel ppd major principl focal point major align price investig reveal smaller member state differ level discount deficit transpar respect discount commiss consider homogen product transpar market possibl retali larger member state valid smaller member state conclus commiss consid found suffici evid exist collect domin posit music major market record music eea member state creation collect domin record music market commiss consid merger lead creation collect domin music major eea member state light remark market transpar product content heterogen retali commiss consid effect reduct major merger substanti lead creation collect domin posit major record music market creation singl domin record music market parti rais concern joint ventur achiev posit singl domin market record music due joint ventur vertic relationship bertelsmann media interest argu bertelsmann posit televis radio station foreclos competitor favour soni bmg grant preferenti rate treatment foreclosur competitor promot artist channel commiss conclud propos joint ventur achiev singl domin market record music germani netherland belgium luxembourg franc bertelsmann activ rtl tv radio station advantag deriv vertic integr bertelsmann media group pop idol format industri expert pass peak incorpor bmg market share basi market share propos joint ventur reach threshold singl domin commiss found evid profit strategi bertelsmann foreclos competitor access tv channel radio station collect domin wholesal market licens onlin music commiss note market legal onlin music state infanc site onlin music recent start oper eea difficult definit conclud market posit major record compani relat nation market addit inform download stream song give clear pictur player market posit public industri data basi inform receiv commiss conclud market posit major record compani wholesal market licenc onlin music appear larg similar posit market record music emerg state market differ price condit current agreement commiss conclud suffici evid found exist collect domin posit major nation market licenc onlin music concentr result creation collect domin posit market singl domin onlin music distribut market parti rais concern result transact soni obtain posit singl domin nation market distribut onlin music soni connect music download servic submit soni control joint ventur foreclos competitor downstream market distribut onlin music deni compet onlin platform access joint ventur librari engag discriminatori behaviour vi vi competitor mean usag rule time releas song track format commiss consid soni connect process launch europ launch share market player gain posit market od player recent enter market announc foreclos competitor propos joint ventur soni bmg forego consider licenc revenu track sold competitor appear doubt strategi profit spill effect music publish parti rais concern creation joint ventur effect coordin parti competit behaviour close relat market music publish commiss consid coordin materialis limit extent administr publish right carri collect societi import mechan perform right collect societi grant basi prevail legisl licenc discriminatori term agre royalti publish author compos commiss consid contrari parti concern concentr lead bypass collect societi major suffici concret evid strategi iii conclus decis conclud propos concentr creat strengthen singl collect domin posit nation market record music licenc onlin music distribut onlin music result effect competit significantli imped common market substanti part decis conclud transact object effect coordin competit behaviour joint ventur parent compani soni bertelsmann music publish market decis declar concentr compat common market eea agreement accord articl articl merger regul articl eea agreement oj regul amend regul ec oj amp artist repertoir music industri equival research develop