The European Commission will likely appeal the decision that voided its prohibition of further diamond sales between De Beers and Alrosa, reports say. (See “Court Allows Alrosa/De Beers Sales,” JCK, September 2007, p. 56.)

Last week, the EC’s Court of First Instance voided a decision by the Commission’s antitrust division that disallowed a proposed contract between De Beers and Alrosa. De Beers instead agreed to phase out its purchases and not buy any more stones from the Russian producer after Jan. 1, 2009.

Alrosa appealed, and the ruling was overturned. Now it looks like the EC will appeal.