COMMISSION V UK
July 1st, 2004
BY MONICA DOBIE
BRITAIN is being threatened with legal action at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) by the European Commission for being over-zealous in frontier checks regarding private imports of tobacco (and alcohol). Brussels claims UK customs should not confiscate tobacco and even the vehicles of travellers importing more excisable goods than they can consume themselves, for parties or gifts. The Commission said: "Such seizures are disproportionate to the gravity of the offence...and represent an obstacle to the free movement of goods."
BRITAIN is being threatened with legal action at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) by the European Commission for being over-zealous in frontier checks regarding private imports of tobacco (and alcohol). Brussels claims UK customs should not confiscate tobacco and even the vehicles of travellers importing more excisable goods than they can consume themselves, for parties or gifts. The Commission said: "Such seizures are disproportionate to the gravity of the offence...and represent an obstacle to the free movement of goods."
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