On July 10, 2008, the long running saga of the Sony BMG merger investigation reached a new stage. The European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) reversed the judgement of the Court of First Instance (“CFI”) annulling the Commission’s clearance of the Sony BMG joint venture in an appeal brought by Impala, an international association of independent music production companies.

The attached alert, prepared by Baker & McKenzie’s Global Antitrust & Competition Practice Group, provides additional information regarding these important developments.