The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), which represents European cinema operators across 39 territories, has criticised the European Commission's approval of the $110.9 billion Paramount-Warner Bros merger, arguing that regulators took too narrow a view of the deal's implications. UNIC CEO Laura Houlgatte said the Commission's conditions failed to reflect the "bigger picture" of concerns raised by the sector, despite UNIC having submitted evidence during the review process. The criticism matters because it suggests unresolved tensions around how the merger could reshape film distribution, competition and cultural diversity across European cinemas.

While UNIC welcomed one condition requiring Paramount to end its film distribution partnership with Universal in Europe within 13 months, it said the Commission should have gone further, citing unaddressed risks around theatrical windows, film diversity, preservation of production pipelines, contractual practices and access to back catalogues. Houlgatte also expressed disappointment that the independent European Media Board did not examine the merger's wider effects on media pluralism and the audiovisual market, and noted the deal still faces legal challenges in the United States over similar concerns. Other approval conditions bar Paramount from co-distributing films with Universal in the European Economic Area and restrict its use of distributors that also handle Universal or Disney titles in certain countries.