Vivendi Challenges EU General Court Ruling Over Lagardère Probe

The June 3 ruling determined that the European Commission's demand for information did not constitute an illegal act. While the decision marks a procedural setback, it stops short of imposing sanctions on the Paris-based group and does not influence the final outcome of the ongoing investigation, which began in 2023. Vivendi executives framed the upcoming appeal as a necessary step to protect the firm's standing, pointing to a previous legal victory on April 11, 2024, when the Court of Justice ruled in the company’s favor against the commission and the General Court.

Vivendi continues to contest the commission's oversight regarding its control of Lagardère. The company maintains that it will exhaust all legal avenues to clear its name, citing its broader commitment to transparent corporate governance. As the case moves to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the firm remains focused on its portfolio, which spans video games through Gameloft, media assets, and minority stakes in entities such as Universal Music Group and Banijay.