The EU Commission imposes €12.5 million fine on a company for restricting cross-border sales of merchandising products (Nike)

On 25 March 2019, the European Commission (“Commission”) announced its decision to fine Nike € 12,555,000 for limiting the ability of licensees to sell licensed merchandising products to other EEA countries. According to the Commission’s press release, the restrictions concerned the merchandise products of certain European football clubs and federations (FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Juventus, AS Roma, Inter Milan and the French Football Federation are named by the Commission). Nike acted as a licensor with