The High Court of England and Wales refers questions to the ECJ regarding whether the prohibition on the use of foreign satellite decoder equipment and cards in the UK infringes, inter alia, Art. 81 EC (Football Association Premier League / QC Leisure)

In two separate cases involving the same claimant, the High Court of England and Wales has referred questions to the European Court of Justice regarding whether the prohibition on the use of foreign satellite decoder equipment and cards in the UK infringes, inter alia, Article 81 EC. Background In both cases, the Football Association Premier League (“the Premier League”), the governing body of the English football Premier League, has brought actions, claiming both that the supply of foreign satellite-decoder equipment and cards for use in screening live football matches in UK bars and public houses, and the subsequent broadcasting of the matches by owners of bars and public