Amsterdam, 4th September 2025

Parts of this opinion piece were first published in Dutch industry publication Entertainment Business.

Kees van Weijen has spent over fifty years in the music industry, including senior roles such as Executive Vice President at Universal, before focusing on strengthening the independent sector, including through his independent distribution business Rough Trade which was sold to [PIAS]. As Board Member as well as former Chairman and President of IMPALA, the European association of independent music companies, and founder of the Dutch independent network STOMP, he has long been a leading advocate for cultural diversity and fair competition in music.

The Netherlands is, once again, proving that a nimble and diverse music ecosystem matters, not just for our artists, but for the very soul of Europe’s cultural identity. That is why the proposed acquisition of Downtown by Universal Music Group is critical. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets has already successfully escalated the case to the European Commission, underlining the seriousness of the risks involved. Regulators at both national and European level now have a clear responsibility: to step in before consolidation erodes competition and weakens cultural diversity irreversibly. 

The European Commission has announced that it will conduct a thorough investigation into how the transaction might impact competition, in line with its responsibilities “to prevent concentrations that would significantly impede effective competition in the EEA or a substantial part of it.” An in-depth investigation will allow the EC to “assess more carefully whether this acquisition would have a negative impact on artists, labels and, ultimately, European consumers“, as stated by Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification.

This deal strikes at the very heart of the Netherlands. FUGA, a proudly Dutch success story and part of Downtown, has risen to become a global leader in digital music distribution through its long-standing collaboration with independent labels. But FUGA is not alone. Downtown also owns essential service providers such as Curve, Songtrust and others together forming a key route to market for countless independent artists and labels, as well as DIY service CD Baby. If these companies fall under Universal Music Group’s control, the independence of this vital part of the market’s infrastructure disappears. This is part of a pattern where UMG cements its advantage over others, increasing its bargaining power and squeezing independents even further. That is why the proposed acquisition of Downtown must be blocked.

The Netherlands is at the heart of Europe’s music infrastructure. Platforms like FUGA enable independent artists and importantly, Dutch talent to reach worldwide audiences. If these services are subsumed by a major, the seeds of diversity are eroded. Europe depends on these champions to keep its cultural landscape vibrant. Music is one of Europe’s leading economic sectors and depends on diverse artists and labels having independent options like FUGA. 

This acquisition follows a troubling precedent: earlier this year, UMG quietly took over 8Ball, another Dutch independent, without notifying regulators or even announcing it, as discovered by the Dutch Financieele Dagblad. UMG tries to appear independent when convenient, using brands like Virgin, even though Virgin is fully owned by UMG. In the music sector, independent means not being owned or controlled by a major, and misusing that undermines public trust and causes confusion. 

I speak with both gratitude and urgency. My time at Universal was amazing, and I look back on those years with great appreciation and admiration. In recent times, I have also seen great collaboration between Universal and IMPALA on important issues such as TikTok and artificial intelligence. But my work today is dedicated to ensuring the health and diversity of the wider market. In the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe it is the independents who invest deeply in local artistic risk. They nurture the voices, genres, and stories that major labels may overlook and that is why I will not be silenced.  

When distribution becomes increasingly concentrated, it’s dangerous and it is a fact that the ability for independents to switch providers or access fair terms with digital streaming platforms is limited and costly. We need multiple, robust distribution channels with operational resilience. Through my work in IMPALA’s Central and Eastern Europe task force, I see how precarious music scenes are outside the major hubs. If distribution diminishes and independents are squeezed, entire national music ecosystems risk collapse, giving market leaders outsized control of the sector. This is not theoretical; it is already happening. Just look at how UMG pushed through so-called “Streaming 2.0” – the impact is huge for developing artists and labels in small country or niche genres.

As VUT Chairwoman Birte Wiemann argued in her recent op-ed, Europe’s strength lies in protecting its diverse cultural ecosystems, not enabling market concentration. 

Other cultural organisations representing managers, featured artists and independent publishers have already spoken out against the implications of this takeover. Their unified concern speaks volumes: this is not just a business deal, but a pivotal moment for the resilience of Europe’s music diversity. And to quote IMPALA’s Executive Chair Helen Smith: “there is a time where big is too big.” That time is now.

The Netherlands has led the way, and we look to the EC to keep Europe’s music sector diverse and thriving. Our ecosystems are precious and hugely valuable, and they need safeguarding. I urge the EC to defend independent distribution, preserve Dutch cultural and business leadership, and ensure Europe’s music sector remains diverse and dynamic. 

About IMPALA
IMPALA was established in 2000 and now represents over 6000 independent music companies in Europe. 99% of Europe’s music companies are small, micro and medium businesses and self-releasing artists. Known as the independents, they are world leaders in terms of innovation and discovering new music and artists – they produce more than 80% of all new releases and account for 80% of the sector’s jobs. IMPALA’s mission is to grow the independent music sector sustainably, return more value to artists, promote diversity and entrepreneurship, improve political access, inspire change, and increase access to finance. IMPALA works on a range of key issues for its members and started a new co-funded work programme as an EU cultural network in 2025. IMPALA runs various award schemes and has a programme aimed at businesses who want to develop a strategic relationship with the European independent sector – Friends of IMPALA