The Belgian Court of Commerce of Brugge rules that the implementation of a State aid measure must be postponed until the EC Commission has finished its investigations (Oostende fish market - AGVO)

Factual Background The municipality of Oostende has granted several benefits to the fish market of Oostende. This includes the grant of start-up capital by the Autonoom Gemeentelijke Vismijn Oostende (“AGVO”); AGVO then subsequently granted financial assistance to EVO and PO. In addition, the municipality of Oostende donated the property for the land situated in the fishing port of Oostende to AGVO, which AGVO then leases in unfavourable conditions. The municipality of Oostende also granted guarantees without compensation in favour of EVO and AGVO with respect to commercial loans granted granted by third parties. All of this enables EVO and PO to offer favourable conditions to ship-owners for the use of their facilities in the fishing port. After complaints were lodged by the Dutch