Merger Notification - Announcement according to § 10 Cartel Act
Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH (über die RM 19 Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH); Cross Cult Entertainment Verwaltungs GmbH
BWB/Z-7025
On 01.08.2025 the Austrian Federal Competition Authority was notified of the following merger:
Planned purchase process
Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH, Germany, an indirect subsidiary of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, Germany, intends, indirectly through RM 19 Beteiligungverwaltungs GmbH, Germany, to acquire all shares in Cross Cult Entertainment Verwaltungs GmbH, Germany.
Business sector concerned: Publishing of books.
J - PUBLISHING, BROADCASTING, AND CONTENT PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES J 58 - Publishing activities, J 58.1 - Publishing of books, newspapers and other publishing activities, except software publishing, J 58.11 - Publishing of books
Deadline for bringing in an application pursuant to § 11(1) Cartel Act will end on 29.08.2025.
Entrepreneurs whose legal or economic interests are affected by the merger can bring in a written statement at the Federal Competition Authority or the Federal Cartel Prosecutor within 14 days from publication date.
Note: The intervening party has no right to a certain treatment of the statement and will not gain a party position.
Non-prohibition of the merger
The Federal Competition Authority and the Federal Cartel Prosecutor have not applied for examination of the merger by the Cartel Court. The standstill obligation (§ 17 (1) Cartel Act) ends with effect from 30.08.2025 .