Opinion of the Advocate General — ECLI:EU:C:2000:11
Date: 2000-01-13
Based on: Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957)
Subject matter: Free movement of goods;Measures having equivalent effect;Approximation of laws;Quantitative restrictions
Procedure: Reference for a preliminary ruling
Origin: Netherlands

Summary of the Judgment 
Free movement of goods — Quantitative restrictions — Measures having equivalent 
effect — Meaning — National legislation prohibiting growth promoters for bovines 
adopted pursuant to Directive 86/469 — Not included 
(EC Treaty, Art. 30 (now, after amendment, Art. 28 EC); Council Directive 86/469) 
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SUMMARY — CASE C-246/98 
A national provision prohibiting the 
administering of sympathicomimetic sub­
stances to fattening cattle over 14 weeks 
old and the holding, having in stock, 
buying or selling of fattening cattle over 
14 weeks old to which such substances 
have been administered, whereby a Mem­
ber State discharges its obligations under 
Directive 86/469 concerning the examina­
tion of animals and fresh meat for the 
presence of residues, and which does not 
therefore constitute a unilateral measure 
designed to protect individual interests of 
the Member State which enacted it, cannot 
be characterised as a measure having 
equivalent effect to a quantitative restric­
tion on imports within the meaning of 
Article 30 of the Treaty (now, after amend­
ment, Article 28 EC). 
(see paras 23-25) 
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