The Brussels Court of Appeal issues a preliminary ruling on the successive application of Art. 81.3 EC to vertical agreements and concerted practices and rules on the De minimis doctrine (Emond / Brasserie Haacht)

This is a judgment of the Brussels Court of Appeal responding to a request for a preliminary ruling from the Court d'appel de Liège ("Court of Appeal of Liège"), on the application of Article 81 EC and vertical block exemption regulations to a beer supply agreement setting up an exclusive distribution network. This judgment has been transmitted by the Brussels Court of Appeal to the European Commission by virtue of Article 15(2) of Regulation n° 1/2003, of 16 December 2002, on the implementation of the rules on competition laid down in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty (OJEU L 1, 4 january 2003, p. 1-25) and has been published on DG Competition's website. BACKGROUND In this case, the Brussels Court of Appeal examined whether two agreements concluded between the applicant, M. Emond, and