A coalition of leading European and international independent music companies and trade associations have issued an open letter to Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera at the European Commission, urging the Commission to conduct a deep investigation of Universal Music Group’s (UMG) proposed acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings. This follows a Financial Times exclusive this morning, available here.

The European cultural sector has come together to call on the European Commission, European Parliament and Member States to reinforce the Creative Europe programme in the next EU long-term budget (MFF).

In an open letter sent to the European Commission’s Vice-President and Commissioner for Competition Teresa Ribera, WIN CEO Noemí Planas adds her voice to that of WIN’s sister organization IMPALA in Europe and our Spanish member UFi in calling for a detailed investigation into the UMG/Downtown acquisition. The eyes of the independent music community worldwide are on the EC for leadership to set the standard globally and block this acquisition outright.

Op-ed by IMPALA’s Executive Chair Helen Smith originally released on Music Ally on 25 June 2025.

“Unimaginable in any other sector”

All markets need big companies.

And the world’s biggest music company is more than that. UMG is innovative and bullish. And a great collaborator on so many issues.

The only question is whether there is a point at which big becomes too big?