Brussels, 19/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The services responsible for competition policy at the European Commission have carried out a surprise investigation on Unicer (Uniao Cervejeira) and Centralcer (Central de Cervejas), the two largest Portuguese brewers, suspected of having concluded an unlawful agreement in the aim of fixing beer market prices. The investigation, conducted in collaboration with the national Portuguese authorities, was held in Lisbon and Porto, at the head office of the two groups, which share 98% of the Portuguese market. Several documents were confiscated during these inspections and they will be "examined carefully". The spokesman for the issue stressed that the inquiry is still at an early stage and that it is therefore impossible, at this stage, to prejudge the outcome of the investigation or say when it will be concluded. We recall that the Commission had already carried out similar inquiries into suspected beer cartels in several Member States in 1999 and 2000 (Belgium, France, Netherlands, Italy and Denmark).