Brussels, 31 May 2023
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture by Liberty Global plc of the UK and Fluvius System Operator CV (‘Fluvius’) of Belgium.
The joint venture, NetCo, will combine all relevant fixed electronic communications network infrastructure currently owned or used by Liberty Global’s subsidiary, Telenet BV, and Fluvius. In addition, NetCo will further roll out and operate a mixed Hybrid-Fibre-Coaxial (‘HFC’) / Fibre-to-the-Premises (‘FTTP’) network within the geographic footprint of Telenet in Flanders (Belgium).
Liberty Global is an international converged broadband internet, video, fixed line telephony and mobile communications services company. Telenet is a cable and mobile network operator in Belgium. Fluvius is a publicly owned multi-utility network operator in Flanders, also operating a limited FTTP network and supplying limited business connectivity services.
The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no horizontal competition concerns, either because of the companies’ limited combined position on the relevant markets or combined market share increment following the transaction. The Commission also found that the vertical relationships between the upstream and downstream markets would be unproblematic. The Commission took note of the measures offered by Telenet and Fluvius to the Belgian Competition Authority in an investigation for possible distortions of competition in the roll-out of fibre networks in Flanders.
The transaction was examined under the normal merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.10994.
Source – EU Commission