C12207 - Sky, investigation into the acquisition of Mediaset Premium’s R2
PRESS RELEASE
On 7 March 2019, AGCM (the Italian Competition Authority) opened an in-depth investigation (phase II) to assess the proposed acquisition of R2 S.r.l., the Operation Pay branch of Mediaset Premium, by Sky Italia S.r.l. and Sky Italian Holdings S.p.A..
The investigation is aimed at examining the competitive impact of the acquisition, considering that Sky, the acquirer company, is the dominant operator in the Italian pay-TV and that R2, the acquired company, is Mediaset Premium’s terrestrial digital broadcasting technical platform, which so far has been the most effective competitor of Sky in the Italian pay-TV market.
In particular, the investigation focuses on whether this transaction might strengthen the dominant position of Sky in the pay-TV retail service market, as well as in the wholesale market of pay-TV terrestrial digital broadcasting platform access services, so to eliminate or substantially reduce competition in those markets and in related markets such as digital broadcasting, pay-TV contents and pay-TV channels.
Rome, 8 March 2019