Originally from International Arbitration Court Decisions - 3rd Edition

BELGIUM

DECISION BY THE FIRST INSTANCE COURT OF BRUSSELS RENDERED ON 8 MARCH 2007 IN CASE NO. 2005/7721/A

“The Belgian SNF Case” * **

Subject Matter:
Whether an arbitral award should be set-aside on the ground that the award violated public policy consisting of EC Competition Law (Article 81 of the EC Treaty [Article 101 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (“TFEU”)]).

Finding:
The partial and final are contrary to article 81 of the EC Treaty [Article 101 TFEU] insofar as the solutions they bring to the dispute give effect to an anticompetitive contract.

Parties:
Claimant: SNF SAS (France)
Respondent: CYTEC INDUSTRIE (Holland)

Counsel:
For the claimant: Olivier Caprasse and Bernard Hanotiau (Belgium)
For the respondent: Elie Kleinan (France) and Olivier Vanhulst (Belgium)

Applicable law:
French law and lex mercatoria
Seat of court proceedings:
Brussels, Belgium

Seat of arbitral proceedings:
Brussels, Belgium