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UMG Flags EU of $775M Downtown Deal, Triggering Antitrust Review
Universal Music formally notified the European Commission of its intent to acquire Downtown Music for $775 million, triggering a regulatory review.
Although the deal falls below the EU’s usual thresholds for antitrust scrutiny, authorities in the Netherlands and Austria referred it to the commission, which now must decide by July 22 whether the acquisition raises competition concerns or can move forward. Critics argue that independent artists and labels using Downtown’s services may be forced into UMG’s ecosystem, risking their autonomy and facing potential data privacy concerns. In a joint statement released late last year, indie leaders including Noemí Planas (WIN), Richard James Burgess (A2IM) and Darius Van Arman (Secretly Group) criticized the move as a consolidation of power that undermines the independence and diversity vital to musical innovation.
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