FILE PHOTO: European Union flags fly outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium September 19, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
BRUSSELS, Oct 2 (Reuters) – Austrian energy drinks maker Red Bull has lost its bid to get Europe’s second highest court to suspend an EU antitrust decision that underpinned a raid on the company for alleged anti-competitive practices.
The European Commission raided the company in March on concerns that it may have violated EU antitrust rules against cartels and abuse of a dominant position.
Red Bull subsequently challenged the raid at the Luxembourg-based General Court, saying the allegations were unfounded and that the EU competition watchdog seemed not to have sufficient signs of anti-competitive behaviour when it decided on the raid.
The General Court rejected its application for an interim measure last Friday, according to a filing on its site.
The Court typically only grants interim measures, which provide temporary relief against legal decisions, if companies can prove that they incurred damage and will suffer serious and irreparable harm from regulators’ actions.
The case is T-306/23 Red Bull and Others v Commission.
Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Jan Harvey
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