French cinema group UGC referred to the court of justice the decision by Kinepolis to multiply by 3 the rent to be paid for its Galerie de la Toison d’Or complex in Brussels. The 10-screen multiplex is the jewel in UGC’s Belgian crown, reveals the daily L’Echo on Thurday.
Kinepolis announced it had bought UGC’s Toison d’Or premises in the summer of 2014, insisting at the time it was a simple investment in real estate. UGC disagrees.
Invoking a violation of rules on competition, a year ago UGC asked the trade court in Brussels to cancel the sale of the building. They also filed a complaint at the Office of the Competition Authority.
The 2 issues (sale of the building and higher rent) are linked and UGC asked the justice of the peace to transfer the case of the rent hike to the trade court.
(Source: Belga)
