# C_2007170EN.01000201.xml

| 21.7.2007 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 170/2 |
| --------- | -- | -------------------------------------- | ------- |

---

Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 7 June 2007 — Commission of the European Communities v Hellenic Republic

(Case C-156/04)( 1 )

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Directive 83/182/EEC - Temporary import of means of transport - Tax exemptions - Normal residence in a Member State)

(2007/C 170/02)

Language of the case: Greek

Parties

Applicant: Commission of the European Communities (represented by: M. Patakia and D. Triantafyllou, Agents)

Defendant: Hellenic Republic (represented by: P. Mylonopoulos and I. Pouli, Agents)

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Infringement of Article 90 EC and of Council Directive 83/182/EEC of 28 March 1983 on tax exemptions within the Community for certain means of transport temporarily imported into one Member State from another — Temporary use on Greek territory of vehicles registered in another Member State — Application of customs provisions applicable to vehicles from non-member countries

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

| 1. | Declares that in laying down:
—
in Article 18(A)(1) of Law No 2682/1999 that, in the event of possession or use in Greek territory of a vehicle registered in another Member State by an individual who has his normal residence in Greece, the criminal proceedings provided for as a matter of course will not be brought if the person concerned pays the registration fee charged and at the same time refrains from seeking, in relation to the act leading to the imposition of that fee, the legal remedies provided for under national law, and —
in Article 18(C)(1) of Law No 2682/1999 that, where fines are imposed, vehicles are also to be temporarily immobilised, and released on payment of the fines and any other charges owed, the Hellenic Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Council Directive 83/182/EEC of 28 March 1983 on tax exemptions within the Community for certain means of transport temporarily imported into one Member State from another; | — | in Article 18(A)(1) of Law No 2682/1999 that, in the event of possession or use in Greek territory of a vehicle registered in another Member State by an individual who has his normal residence in Greece, the criminal proceedings provided for as a matter of course will not be brought if the person concerned pays the registration fee charged and at the same time refrains from seeking, in relation to the act leading to the imposition of that fee, the legal remedies provided for under national law, and | — | in Article 18(C)(1) of Law No 2682/1999 that, where fines are imposed, vehicles are also to be temporarily immobilised, and released on payment of the fines and any other charges owed, |
| -- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| — | in Article 18(A)(1) of Law No 2682/1999 that, in the event of possession or use in Greek territory of a vehicle registered in another Member State by an individual who has his normal residence in Greece, the criminal proceedings provided for as a matter of course will not be brought if the person concerned pays the registration fee charged and at the same time refrains from seeking, in relation to the act leading to the imposition of that fee, the legal remedies provided for under national law, and | | | | |
| — | in Article 18(C)(1) of Law No 2682/1999 that, where fines are imposed, vehicles are also to be temporarily immobilised, and released on payment of the fines and any other charges owed, | | | | |

| 2. | Dismisses the remainder of the action; |
| -- | -------------------------------------- |

| 3. | Orders the Commission of the European Communities and the Hellenic Republic to bear their own costs. |
| -- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

---

( 1 )  OJ C 106, 30.4.2004.

---