Brewers in the Netherlands come under EU microscope

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2005

BRUSSELS (AFP) — The European Union's executive arm has decided to take action against a group of brewing companies in the Netherlands on suspicion they fixed beer prices there, a spokesman told AFP.

The spokesman said Friday that the European Commission, which oversees competition issues in the EU, "has decided to open formal proceedings against several brewers active in the Netherlands and has sent them a statement of objections."

The commission has refused to confirm the name of the companies concerned, but an official close to dossier said four are involved: Royal Grolsch, Heineken, Bavaria and the Dutch wing of Belgium's InBev, Interbrew.

InBev, Heineken and Grolsch confirmed they had been sent the documents.

"We have received them," an InBev...