Vivendi vows to reduce dominant position in Mediaset
August 2, 2017
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Italy’s Communications Authority AgCom has received a proposal from Vivendi, “to partially integrate and modify the plan presented on June 19th, aimed at eliminating the position of dominant influence on Mediaset”.
In a statement, the telecommunications sector regulator said that it now expects Vivendi to provide further details how it intends to “structurally remove the prohibited position”.
It also recalled that, in the event of non-compliance, the Authority may punish the company with a fine of between 2 per cent and 5 per cent of its turnover.
In April, AgCom, applying the existing law on limits in the media and telecommunications industry, ordered Vivendi to choose between control of operator TIM (in which it now holds 23.93 per cent) and a stake of nearly 30 per cent in broadcaster Mediaset.
The regulator gave the French company one year for the divestments and asked it to submit a specific action plan within 60 days.
In the meantime, Vivendi has appealed against AgCom’s ruling before the Lazio Regional Administrative Court, which has set a hearing on the matter on 7 February 2018.