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European Commission Takes Action Against UK Government on Customs Seizures Thanks to MEP
October 24, 2001 12:00 AM
Scores of tourists across the Yorkshire and Humber region who have had their cars confiscated by Customs are celebrating today as the European Commission responds to demands for action from Diana Wallis MEP.
In a press statement this morning (Tuesday) European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Frits Bolkestein, announced that he is to write to the UK Government to demand "information about its application of EU law relating to excise duties on tobacco and alcohol." This is the first stage in a process that should result in justice for hundreds of tourists across the UK.
Diana Wallis MEP (Lib Dem, Yorkshire and the Humber) welcomed the move that she has been calling for, saying: "This is an embarrassing humiliation for the Government and is likely to result in a large compensation bill.
"This is vindication to the many hundreds of tourists who have contacted MEPs' offices over the past few months having had their vehicles confiscated by Customs.
"The Government now has to explain itself as the Minister concerned (Paul Boateng) has refused to budge from his position despite active lobbying from myself and my Liberal Democrat colleagues.
"The UK Government is now caught in a pincer movement between this action by the Commission and a finding by UK courts which stated recently that the action of UK Customs was disproportionate. The Government now looks to be heading for a large compensation bill."
- Diana Wallis MEP is a member of the European Parliament Internal Market Committee. Over the past few weeks she has been forwarding casework on this issue to Commissioner Bolkestein and through her Committee has requested the Commissioner to investigate the UK Government.
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