Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Hof van Cassatie van België (Belgium) lodged on 20 April 2012 — United Antwerp Maritime Agencies (UNAMAR) NV v Navigation Maritime Bulgare

(Case C-184/12)

2012/C 200/11

Language of the case: Dutch

Referring court

Hof van Cassatie van België

Parties to the main proceedings

Appellant: United Antwerp Maritime Agencies (UNAMAR) NV

Respondent: Navigation Maritime Bulgare

Question referred

Having regard, not least, to the classification under Belgian law of the provisions at issue in this case (Articles 18, 20 and 21 of the Belgian Law of 13 April 1995 relating to commercial agency contracts) as special mandatory rules of law within the terms of Article 7(2) of the Rome Convention, must Articles 3 and 7(2) of the Rome Convention, (1) read, as appropriate, in conjunction with Council Directive 86/653/EEC (2) of 18 December 1986 on the coordination of the laws of the Member States relating to self-employed commercial agents, be interpreted as meaning that special mandatory rules of law of the forum that offer wider protection than the minimum laid down by Directive 86/653/EEC may be applied to the contract, even if it appears that the law applicable to the contract is the law of another Member State of the European Union in which the minimum protection provided by Directive 86/653/EEC has also been implemented?

(1)  Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980 (OJ 1980 L 266, p. 1).

(2)  OJ 1986 L 382, p. 17.