Brussels is your friend????

EC tackles Britain over booze cruise shoppers

The harsh treatment of Channel "booze cruise" shoppers could lead to a European court case after Customs and Excise officials failed yesterday to mollify Brussels. The European Commission has accused Britain of violating EU treaty law by seizing the goods of trippers caught importing alcohol and tobacco on a "non-profit" basis for family and friends.

So the extreme tactics were too much for our rulers in Brussels. So says an European Commission spokesman;

"Cross-border shopping within the internal market is a fundamental right under EU law and should not be regarded as a form of tax evasion, even if it gives rise to revenue losses for the UK exchequer," he said.

Many things could be said about this case, maybe even a stopped clock is correct twice a day, or it is just a power struggle between Brussels and London, but I believe the crux of the matter lies elsewhere. The activities of the customs and excise in this matter have been a classic case of power exercised without restraint, a group of public servants who are apparently not accountable to the public. This one of our biggest complaints about the EU, power wielded, but in whose name? But for today lets be happy, there is nothing like watching two of your enemies battling with each other, lets hope they both lose.