v3.10.0.1
Financial Risk Management and Financial Instruments - Additional Information (Details)
£ in Millions, kr in Millions, $ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Nov. 05, 2018
EUR (€)
shares
Apr. 03, 2018
EUR (€)
Jul. 13, 2017
EUR (€)
shares
Jul. 13, 2017
USD ($)
shares
Oct. 17, 2016
EUR (€)
shares
Dec. 31, 2018
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2017
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2016
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2018
AUD ($)
Dec. 31, 2018
GBP (£)
Dec. 31, 2018
SEK (kr)
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Ordinary shares authorized to be repurchased | shares 10,000,000                          
Share repurchase program expiry date           Apr. 21, 2021 Apr. 21, 2021              
Percentage of investment in counterparties and instruments           10.00% 10.00%              
Description of cash investment           Investments are subject to credit rating thresholds and at the time of investment, no more than 10% of surplus cash can be invested in any one issuer (excluding certain government bonds and investments in cash management banks) Investments are subject to credit rating thresholds and at the time of investment, no more than 10% of surplus cash can be invested in any one issuer (excluding certain government bonds and investments in cash management banks)              
Weighted average maturity description of portfolio           The weighted-average maturity of the portfolio shall not be greater than 2 years, and the final maturity of any investment is not to exceed 5 years. The weighted-average maturity of the portfolio shall not be greater than 2 years, and the final maturity of any investment is not to exceed 5 years.              
Short term investments maximum liquidity period           90 days 90 days              
Credit losses on short term investments           € 0   € 0            
Currency strengthening percentage           10.00% 10.00% 10.00%            
Currency weakening percentage           10.00% 10.00% 10.00%            
Closing exchange rate               € 26,000,000            
Effect of 10 percentage change in Euro against translation exposure currencies on equity           € 12,000,000   € 27,000,000            
Impact of percentage change in currency exchange on equity           10.00% 10.00% 10.00%            
Increase or decrease in interest rate           1.00% 1.00% 1.00%            
Impact of change in interest rate on interest income           € 8,000,000   € 8,000,000            
Changes in share price percentage           10.00% 10.00% 10.00%            
Impact on the accrual for social costs on outstanding share-based payment awards           € 11,000,000   € 16,000,000            
Gain associated with the changes in fair value of instruments           8,000,000   2,000,000            
Transfers between levels           € 0   0            
Warrants sold to acquire ordinary shares     € 9,000,000   € 27,000,000                  
Ordinary shares acquired trough warrants issue | shares     1,600,000 1,600,000 5,120,000                  
Exercise price of warrants | $       $ 89.73     $ 50.61              
Warrant exercise price number of times of fair market value of ordinary shares     1.3 times 1.3 times   1.2 times 1.2 times              
Expenses recorded within finance costs           € 201,000,000   524,000,000 € 245,000,000          
Reclassification of convertible notes to other paid in capital within equity   € 1,100,000,000                        
Tencent Music Entertainment Group                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Changes in share price percentage           10.00% 10.00%              
Non-controlling equity interest percentage           9.00% 9.00%              
Investments transferred from level 3 to level 1           € 1,630,000,000                
Mark to market gains on long term investments           € 720,000,000                
Non Designated Hedges                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Notional amount               25,000,000           $ 310,000,000
Warrants                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Percentage of increase decrease in ordinary share price           10.00% 10.00%              
Convertible Notes                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Expenses recorded within finance costs   € 123,000,000                        
Cash Flow Hedges | Foreign Exchange Forwards                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Notional amount           € 968,000,000       $ 48,000,000 $ 330 £ 484 kr 1,869  
Financial Credit Risk                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Cash and cash equivalents and short term investments           1,806,000,000   1,509,000,000            
Bottom Of Range [Member] | Tencent Music Entertainment Group                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Value of the long term investment           1,467,000,000   819,000,000            
Bottom Of Range [Member] | Contingent Options                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Value of contingent options               2,000,000            
Bottom Of Range [Member] | Warrants                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Value of warrants           273,000,000   275,000,000            
Top of range                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Approved share repurchase amount € 1,000,000,000                          
Top of range | Tencent Music Entertainment Group                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Value of the long term investment           1,793,000,000   1,001,000,000            
Top of range | Contingent Options                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Value of contingent options               4,000,000            
Top of range | Warrants                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Value of warrants           € 399,000,000   € 403,000,000            
Top of range | Cash Flow Hedges                            
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                            
Maximum headging period           13 months 13 months              
Foreign exchange forward contract heading term           1 year 1 year