20.6.2009   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 141/3


Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 23 April 2009 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Rechtbank van koophandel te Antwerpen (Belgium)) — VTB-VAB NV (C-261/07) and Galatea BVBA (C-299/07) v Total Belgium NV (C-261/07) and Sanoma Magazines Belgium NV (C-299/07)

(Case C-261/07 and C-299/07) (1)

(Directive 2005/29/EC - Unfair commercial practices - National legislation prohibiting combined offers to consumers)

2009/C 141/05

Language of the case: Dutch

Referring court

Rechtbank van koophandel te Antwerpen

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: VTB-VAB NV (C-261/07), Galatea BVBA (C-299/07)

Defendants: Total Belgium NV (C-261/07), Sanoma Magazines Belgium NV (C-299/07)

Re:

Reference for a preliminary ruling — Rechtbank van koophandel te Antwerpen — Interpretation of Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market and amending Council Directive 84/450/EEC, Directives 97/7/EC, 98/27/EC and 2002/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Unfair Commercial Practices Directive’) (OJ 2005 L 147, p. 22) — National legislation prohibiting combined offers to consumers

Operative part of the judgment

Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market and amending Council Directive 84/450/EEC, Directives 97/7/EC, 98/27/EC and 2002/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Unfair Commercial Practices Directive’) must be interpreted as precluding national legislation, such as that at issue in the disputes in the main proceedings, which, with certain exceptions, and without taking account of the specific circumstances, imposes a general prohibition of combined offers made by a vendor to a consumer.


(1)  OJ C 199, 25.8.2007.