Keywords
Summary

Keywords

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1 . Free movement of goods - Quantitative restrictions - Measures having equivalent effect - Marketing of products - Disparity between national laws - Obstacles to intra-Community trade - Whether permissible - Conditions - Necessity with regard to the mandatory requirements of Community law - Protection of the environment

( EEC Treaty, Art . 30 )

2 . Free movement of goods - Quantitative restrictions - Measures having equivalent effect - Mandatory system of returnable containers for beer and soft drinks - Justification - Protection of the environment - Whether acceptable - Requirement to use only approved containers - Disproportionate nature - Not acceptable

( EEC Treaty, Art . 30 )

Summary

1 . In the absence of common rules relating to the marketing of the products in question, obstacles to free movement within the Community resulting from disparities between the national laws must be accepted in so far as such rules, applicable to domestic and imported products without distinction, may be recognized as being necessary in order to satisfy mandatory requirements recognized by Community law and are proportionate to the aim in view, in so far as they constitute a measure which least restricts the free movement of goods . Since the protection of the environment constitutes one of the Community' s essential objectives, it is such a requirement .

2 . The obligation imposed by national legislation on manufacturers and importers, as part of a system under which the marketing of beer and soft drinks is authorized only in re-usable containers, to establish a deposit-and-return system for empty containers must be regarded as necessary to achieve the objectives pursued in relation to the protection of the environment so that the resulting restrictions on the free movement of goods cannot be regarded as disproportionate .

However, the requirement that foreign manufacturers must either use only containers approved by the national authorities, which may refuse approval even if a manufacturer is prepared to ensure that returned containers are re-used, or not market annually more than a certain volume of drinks in non-approved containers is to be regarded as disproportionate and therefore unacceptable since whilst the system of returnable non-approved containers does not ensure a maximum rate of re-use, unlike the system established for approved containers, it is capable of protecting the environment, especially as the quantity of beverages likely to be imported is limited in relation to total national consumption by reason of the restrictive effect of the requirement that containers should be returnable .