Vivendi launches new Dutch court action against Mediaset merger plan

Nieuws Video Italië 14 JAN 2020
Vivendi launches new Dutch court action against Mediaset merger plan
Vivendi has filed fresh a court action in Amsterdam against Mediaset’s plans to merge its Italian and Spanish units into the Netherlands-based holding company Media for Europe (MFE). In a brief statement, the Italian broadcaster confirmed that the corresponding hearing on the injunction application will be held on 10 February before the District Court of Amsterdam.

In October, a Spanish court granted Vivendi’s request to temporarily suspend Mediaset’s plan after the French group argued that the proposed new governance structure is designed to favour the broadcaster’s biggest shareholder, the Fininvest investment vehicle of the Berlusconi family. 

Vivendi owns around 29 percent of Mediaset, compared to Fininvest’s 44 percent, and is strongly opposed to the broadcaster's corporate overhaul, having previously pledged to “use any legal recourse in all relevant jurisdictions and countries to challenge the legality of the proposed new structure, both under national and European laws.” 

The court action comes after Mediaset’s shareholders last week approved a number of changes to the by-laws of the MFE entity after failing to resolve its legal dispute with Vivendi.


 

Related Articles