Brussels took a dim view of the distortion of competition caused by the merger of the two groups. Vivendi has had to make concessions, agree to separate from Gala magazine considered a direct competitor to Paris Match.
The Lagardère group owns the world's third largest publisher Hachette Livre. Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky has bought it, but he will have to wait for a later decision from the European competition authorities. The merger also raised the question of Vincent Bolloré's growing stranglehold on the wider media landscape.