European Commission v. Sanrio Co., Ltd. (Case AT.40432)
For roughly eleven years Sanrio’s merchandise licenses barred licensees from selling licensed goods across EEA borders or to customers in other territories. The Commission called it illegal market-partitioning and fined Sanrio €6.2 million.
The record
- Court
- European Commission, DG Competition
- Jurisdiction
- European Union
- Docket No.
- Case AT.40432
- Filed
- 2017
- Resolved
- 2019
- Sanrio’s role
- Respondent
- Type
- Antitrust
- Claims
- Article 101 TFEU / Article 53 EEA — illegal restraints on cross-border sales
- Counsel — plaintiff/petitioner
- not public
- Counsel — Sanrio side
- not public
What happened
For roughly eleven years Sanrio’s merchandise licenses barred licensees from selling licensed goods across EEA borders or to customers in other territories. The Commission called it illegal market-partitioning and fined Sanrio €6.2 million.
Outcome
€6,222,000 fine on 9 July 2019, reduced 40% for cooperation. Infringement ran 1 Jan 2008 to 21 Dec 2018.
The legal nuance
Part of the Commission’s 2019 sweep against geo-blocking in licensed merchandise, alongside parallel cases against Nike and Universal Studios. Territorial licensing is allowed; blocking a licensee from filling an unsolicited cross-border order is not.
Sources of record