Article 2 1.

the company had more than 5 000 employees on average and had a net worldwide turnover of more than EUR 1 500 000 000 in the last financial year for which annual financial statements have been or should have been adopted;

the company did not reach the thresholds as referred to in point (a) but is the ultimate parent company of a group that reached those thresholds in the last financial year for which consolidated annual financial statements have been or should have been adopted;

the company entered into or is the ultimate parent company of a group that entered into franchising or licensing agreements in the Union in return for royalties with independent third-party companies, where those agreements ensure a common identity, a common business concept and the application of uniform business methods, and where those royalties amounted to more than EUR 75 000 000 in the last financial year for which annual financial statements have been or should have been adopted, and provided that the company had or is the ultimate parent company of a group that had a net worldwide turnover of more than EUR 275 000 000 in the last financial year for which annual financial statements have been or should have been adopted.