The Spanish Competition Authority holds that car manufacturers with a market share below 30% may freely choose the members of their distribution or repair and maintenance network (Citröen)

Background The Agrupación de Agentes y Servicios Oficiales Citröen de Cataluña (hereinafter, “the ASOCC”), an association of the repair shops integrated in the repair and maintenance services' network of Citröen in the region of Cataluña, lodged on 1 October 2003 a complaint before the Spanish Servicio de Defensa de la Competencia (“the Servicio”) against Citröen España, SA (“Citröen”) for an alleged infringement of certain Articles of Commission Regulation (EC) n° 1400/2002, of 31 July 2002, on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector? (OJ L 203, 1st august 2002, p. 30-41) and Article 1 of the Spanish Law n° 16/1989 on Competition (“the Competition Law”). It must be noted that Spanish