Free Movement of Goods II Articles 34–36 TFEU

By using these EU law Free Movement of Goods II (Articles 34–36 TFEU) notes, you will understand the prohibitions in Articles 34 and 35 TFEU and their importance in furthering the freedom of movement of goods. You will appreciate the difference between quantitative restrictions and measures having equivalent effect MEQRs. The notes identify distinctly applicable measures having equivalent effect and be able distinguish these from indistinctly applicable measures having equivalent effect. The notes describe the two fundamental principles set out in the CJ’s decision in Cassis. Further the notes describe the circumstances in which selling arrangements for products will escape the prohibition in Article 34 TFEU and lastly the derogations set out in Article 36 TFEU.

Cases

Article 34 TFEU: restrictions on imports

R v Henn and Darby (Case 34/79) [1979] ECR 3795

Procureur du Roi v Dassonville (Case 8/74) [1974] ECR 837

Distinctly applicable MEQRs

Commission v Ireland (‘Buy Irish’) (Case 249/81) [1982] ECR 4005

Evans Medical & Macfarlan Smith (Case 2324/93) 1995 ECR I-563

Indistinctly applicable MEQRs

Commission v UK (origin-marking) (Case 207/83) 1985 ECR 1201

Walter Rau v De Smedt (Case 261/81) 1982 ECR 3961

Toolex Alpha (Case C-473/98) 2000 ECR I-5681

Defences: mandatory requirement for indistinctly applicable MEQRs

Cassis de Dijon case (Case 120/78) [1979] ECR 649

Walter Rau Lebensmittelwerke v De Smedt PVBA (1983) Case 261/81

Article 35 TFEU: restrictions on exports

R v Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, ex p Hedley Lomas (Ireland) Ltd (Case C-5/94) [1996] ECR I-2553

Bouhelier (Case 53/76) 1977 ECR 197

P.B. Groenveld BV v Produktschap voor Vee en Vlees (Case 15/79) [1979] ECR 3409

Defences: Article 36 TFEU derogations

Commission v Ireland (‘Irish Souvenirs’) (Case 113/80) [1981] ECR 1625

R v Henn and Darby (Case 34/79) [1979] ECR 3795

R v Thompson “old coins case” (Case 7/78) [1979] ECR 2247

Selling arrangements

Criminal Proceedings Against Keck and Mithouard (Cases C-367 & C-268/91) [1993] ECR I-6097

Quietlynn Limited and Brian James Richards v Southend Borough Council (Case C-23/89) 1990.

Recent selling arrangement cases

Fachverband der Buch und Medienwirtschaft v LIBRO Handelsgesellschaft mbH (Case C-531/07) [2009] ECR I-3717.

Konsumentombudsmannen v De Agostini (Svenska) Förlag AB (Cases C-34 to 36/95) [1997] ECR I-3843.

Konsumentombudsmannen v Gourmet International Products Aktiebolag (Case C-405/98) [2001] ECR I-1795.