Luxembourg: EU court upheld fines against three Luxembourg brewers

A European Union court upheld on Wednesday, 27 July 2005 a EUR 448,000 (US$ 537,000) fine imposed on three Luxembourg brewers for rigging beer sales in the tiny Grand Duchy, according to Associated Press.

The court said EU antitrust officials were right to fine the breweries in 2001 for striking a secret pact in 1985 not to compete for each other's exclusive deals with hotels and restaurants. The breweries also tried to limit foreign beers from gaining a foothold in Luxembourg.

The country's largest brewer, Brasserie de Luxembourg Mousel-Diekirch SA, escaped a fine because it blew the whistle on the cartel. The firm is now owned by Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev SA, the world's largest brewer by volume.

Brasserie nationale SA had to pay EUR 400,000 (US$479,600) while Brasserie Jules Simon et Cie SCS and Brasserie Battin SNC were ordered to hand over EUR 24,000 (US$28,776) each.