IMPALA has an impressive record on competition cases in the music sector. The first EMI/Warner merger was withdrawn in 2001 following objections from the EU after IMPALA intervened, in its first year of existence. It also won a
landmark judgment in 2006 in the Sony/BMG case, and when
Sony acquired 30% of EMI publishing in 2012, it was at the cost of significant divestments. The biggest set of remedies proportionately ever in a merger case was secured later that year, when UMG was forced to sell two thirds of EMI records and had to accept ten years of scrutiny over the terms of its digital deals. When
WMG bought Parlophone in 2013, IMPALA secured a
hefty divestments package for its members. IMPALA also represented the independents in the various Sony/EMI merger cases from
2012 to
2018, where the EU ultimately approved the acquisition based on remedies Sony agreed in 2012.
On top of mergers, IMPALA has also been involved in other anti-trust cases involving the music sector, such as the
abuse complaint against YouTube in 2014 and the call for regulating unfair business practices by large online players. IMPALA also submitted observations on Apple’s bid to acquire Shazam.
An overview of merger cases and related EU practices and decisions since 2000 is available to members.