Agent's warning under Art. 13 RAI upheld

ATA/96/1998Court of Justice / Administrative ChamberMar 4, 1998Confirmed

Extracted by Omnilex

Omnilex summary

A business intermediary was warned after, in connection with the sale of a shop, he proposed to the buyer that he open negotiations with the seller despite not having compiled or handed over a complete file, and despite giving information about the profitability of the business that he could not substantiate. The court held that the duties under Art. 13 RAI, requiring an intermediary to prepare and keep a file with all information necessary for the buyer to assess the business, are justified by freedom of trade and industry, and it upheld the warning.

Omnilex headnote

Art. 13 RAI; business intermediary’s duty to compile and retain a complete file for the purchaser’s assessment of the business; justified restriction in view of freedom of trade and industry. The intermediary must provide, and preserve in its records, all information necessary for an accurate appraisal of the undertaking’s value and importance. A warning is lawful where the intermediary lacks such a file and nevertheless conveys unsupported statements on profitability. The court confirms that these professional duties are compatible with the constitutional guarantee of economic freedom (consid. n.a.).

Full text

Descripteurs

AGENT INTERMEDIAIRE; PRINCIPE JURIDIQUE; NORME; LIBERTE DU COMMERCE ET DE L'INDUSTRIE; AMENDE; AVERTISSEMENT(SANCTION); JPT

Normes

RAInt.13

Résumé

Avertissement prononcé à l'encontre d'un agent en fond de commerce qui, dans le cadre d'une vente d'un magasin, a proposé à sa cliente, acheteuse, d'initier les pourparlers avec le vendeur, alors qu'il n'avait ni constitué ni remis à l'intéressée un dossier complet (en violation de l'art. 13 RAI) et qu'il avait fourni des renseignements sur la rentabilité du commerce alors qu'il n'était pas à même de le faire. Les obligations découlant de l'art. 13 RAI, qui imposent à tout agent en fonds de commerce de constituer et de conserver dans ses archives un dossier contenant tous les renseignements dont l'acquéreur a besoin pour pouvoir apprécier exactement la valeur et l'importance de l'affaire, sont justifiées au regard de la liberté du commerce et de l'industrie.

Keywords

business intermediarywarningprofessional dutyeconomic freedomfile keepingprofitability information

Extracted by Omnilex

Key legal questions extracted by Omnilex

Key legal question

Whether the warning for violating Art. 13 RAI was lawful.

Extracted holding

The warning was lawful; the agent had neither compiled nor handed over a complete file and had provided profitability information without being able to support it.

Extracted reasoning

Art. 13 RAI requires business intermediaries to compile and keep in their records a file containing all information needed for the buyer to assess the value and significance of the business. These duties are justified in light of freedom of trade and industry.

Agent's warning under Art. 13 RAI upheldAI generated