‘Booze cruisers’ steered to European Court

Gavin McFarlane of Temple Chambers Cardiff

The long running saga over the treatment of returning British citizens at ports and airports now seems destined to be thrashed out in the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Outgoing European commissioner for the single market, Frits Bolkestein, announced the referral to the ECJ in October. The problem dates back to the advent of the single market in 1993, which removed internal frontiers and barriers within the territory of the then 15 member states; not quite removed though due to high differential rates of excise duty on goods such as alcohol, tobacco and fuel oils.