France slammed over truck blockades
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11 An embarrassing legal reprimand to France, which could help prevent future disruption to international operators from French farmers, has been delivered by one of the European Union's chief legal officers.
Carl Otto Lenz, the advocategeneral of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), says that France did not take enough action earlier this year to prevent attacks by French farmers on Spanish hauliers carrying
fruit and vegetable imports.
If, as expected, the ECJ follows his advice when it rules on the Spanish complaint. France could be fined for failing to protect the free movement of goods within the European Union— movement which is enshrined within EU law.
Lenz says the French authorities did "not take necessary and proportionate measures to prevent successive disruptions against Spanish produce. They also did not pursue legal action against those responsible ,despite evidence."
C Three British hauliers have received offers of compensation from the French for the November 1996 blockades, according to the Road Haulage Association, but no money has yet been received.
RHA international manager Mike Freeman criticises the French for their "deviousness" over the compensation claims.