South West Lib Dem MEP wins 5 year customs battle with UK Government

3.14.23pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 10th May 2006

Graham arrives at a UK ferry port

South West Lib Dem MEP, Graham Watson, has succeeded in forcing the UK Government into a climb down over some key aspects of its Customs policy.

Mr Watson has been challenging the Government since 2001 over its unfair and indiscriminate policy of seizing any vehicle it chooses if it suspects the owner of importing goods such as tobacco and alcohol, other than for their own use. This has often led people on perfectly legal "booze cruises" to have their vehicles confiscated at great inconvenience and with no respect to proportionality. Mr Watson said:

"I am delighted that after several years of campaigning on this issue that the Commission has forced the UK Government into changing this ridiculous policy. I have heard countless complaints from constituents who have had their vehicles seized for doing nothing more than bringing alcohol and cigarettes for their own use, something they are well within their rights to do."

NOTES

In the winter of 2001, Graham Watson led a group of constituents who had been affected by this policy to Brussels to meet with EU Commissioner Frits Bolkestein.

In January 2002, Mr Watson led a delegation of South West MPs to meet then Treasury Minister Paul Boateng MP on this issue.

After lobbying the UK Government over this directly with no results, Mr Watson took up the issue with the EU Commission. He has now been told that the Commission formally requested the UK to amend its sanctions policy. Upon being informed that it risked being referred to the EC European Court of Justice if it failed to comply, the UK amended its policy so that it will discontinue the policy unless in the case of repeat offenders.

For a copy of the letter sent by the DG Taxation and Customs Union to Mr Watson detailing the Commission's action on this issue please call his office, 01458 252265.