Alec Burnside
Linlaters & Alliance, Brussels, Belgium

1. SonyBMG On 13 July 2006 in an unprecedented judgement the Court of First Instance of the European Communities reversed the European Commissions 2004 decision approving the creation of a joint venture between Sony and Bertelsmann combining their recorded music businesses. This is the first time that the Community judiciary has reversed a decision of the Commission granting unconditional approval for a transaction.