Antitrust Cross-border Pay-TV Case: Accommodating Contractual Freedom Within the EU’s Single Market Objective
European Competition and Regulatory Law Review 3/2019
4 Pages Posted: 14 Nov 2019
Date Written: September 1, 2019
Abstract
This is a commentary of the judgement of the General Court of 12 December 2018 which dismissed the appeal brought by the French broadcaster Groupe Canal + against the Commission’s decision accepting the commitments offered by Paramount in the cross-border pay-TV case (AT.40023). This ruling confirms, on one side, the broad appreciation powers of the Commission when accepting commitments offered by an undertaking in the context of Article 9 of Regulation 1/2003 and, on the other side, the anti-competitive nature of clauses included in licensing agreements between right holders and broadcasters aiming at eliminating cross-border competition through the restriction of cross-border passive sales.
Keywords: Single Market; Antitrust; Article 101 TFEU; Copyright; Audiovisual Services; Broadcasting; Geo-blocking
JEL Classification: K00, K11, K12, K21, K4, K41
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation