Commission of the European Communities v Kingdom of Belgium. [1989] EUECJ C-52/88 (11 May 1989)
Belgium's prohibition is not justified as the objectives of consumer protection and fairness of commercial transactions can be attained by less restrictive measures, thus violating Article 30 of the EEC Treaty.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [1989] EUECJ C-52/88
- Parties
- Applicant: Commission of the European Communities; Defendant: Kingdom of Belgium
- Jurisdiction
- European Union
- Procedural Posture
- Infringement Proceedings / Final Judgment
- Outcome
- Declaration of infringement against Belgium
- Legal Topics
- Quantitative Restrictions, Measures Having Equivalent Effect, Consumer Protection, Fairness of Commercial Transactions
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Commission of the European Communities
Applicant
Kingdom of Belgium
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Infringement Proceedings / Final Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether Belgium's prohibition on the sale of meat products containing more than a given quantity of edible gelatine violates Article 30 of the EEC Treaty
- 2 Whether such prohibition can be justified by consumer protection or fairness of commercial transactions
Ratio Decidendi
Belgium's prohibition is not justified as the objectives of consumer protection and fairness of commercial transactions can be attained by less restrictive measures, thus violating Article 30 of the EEC Treaty.
Court Disposition
Declaration of infringement against Belgium
Orders
- Belgium failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 30 of the EEC Treaty
- Belgium ordered to pay the costs
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
[ Home ] [ Databases ] [ World Law ] [ Multidatabase Search ] [ Help ] [ Feedback ] [ DONATE ] Court of Justice of the European Communities (including Court of First Instance Decisions) You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Court of Justice of the European Communities (including Court of First Instance Decisions) >> Commission of the European Communities v Kingdom of Belgium. [1989] EUECJ C-52/88 (11 May 1989) URL: https://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/EUECJ/1989/C5288.html Cite as: [1989] EUECJ C-52/88 [ New search ] [ Help ] IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE - The source of this judgment is the web site of the Court of Justice of the European Communities . The information in this database has been provided free of charge and is subject to a Court of Justice of the European Communities disclaimer and a copyright notice . This electronic version is not authentic and is subject to amendment. 61988J0052 Judgment of the Court of 11 May 1989. Commission of the European Communities v Kingdom of Belgium. Free movement of goods - Prohibition of the importation of meat-based products containing more than a given quantity of edible gelatine. Case 52/88. European Court reports 1989 Page 01137 Pub. RJ Page Pub somm ++++ Free movement of goods - Quantitative restrictions - Measures having equivalent effect - Prohibition on the marketing of foodstuffs containing more than a given quantity of a particular ingredient - Not permissible - Justification - Fairness of commercial transactions - Consumer protection - Conditions - Application of less restrictive measures ( EEC Treaty, Art . 30 ) A prohibition by a Member State on the marketing in its territory of certain foodstuffs containing more than a given quantity of a given ingredient and originating in another Member State where they were lawfully produced and marketed cannot be justified on the ground of mandatory requirements relating to the fairness of commercial transactions and consumer protection unless those objectives cannot be attained by means which restrict the free movement of goods less ( line of authority; see, most recently, judgment of 2 February 1989 in Case 274/87 Commission v Germany (( 1989 )) ECR 229 ). In Case 52/88 Commission of the European Communities, represented by René Barents, a member of its Legal Department, acting as Agent, with an address for service in Luxembourg at the office of Georgios Kremlis, also a member of its Legal Department, Wagner Centre, Kirchberg, applicant, v Kingdom of Belgium, represented by the Minister for External Relations, represented by J . Devadder, conseiller adjoint, with an address for service in Luxembourg at the Belgian Embassy, defendant, APPLICATION for a declaration that, by not permitting the sale in its territory of prepared meat and meat preparations containing more than a given quantity of edible gelatine which are lawfully produced and marketed in other Member States, the Kingdom of Belgium has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 30 of the EEC Treaty, THE COURT composed of : O . Due, President, T . Koopmans, R . Joliet and F . Grévisse ( Presidents of Chambers ), Sir Gordon Slynn, C . N . Kakouris, J . C . Moitinho de Almeida, G . C . Rodríguez Iglesias and M . Diéz de Velasco, Judges, ( the grounds of the judgment are not reproduced ) hereby : ( 1)Declares that, by not permitting the sale in its territory of prepared meat and meat preparations containing more than a given quantity of edible gelatine which originate in another Member State where they were lawfully produced and marketed, the Kingdom of Belgium has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 30 of the EEC Treaty; ( 2 ) Orders the Kingdom of Belgium to pay the costs . © European Communities, 2001 All rights reserved BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Donate to BAILII URL: https://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/EUECJ/1989/C5288.html