Case C-469/00: Reference for a preliminary ruling by the Cour de Cassation Française, Chambre Commerciale, Financière et Économique, by judgment of that court of 19 December 2000 in the case of Ravil S.à r.l. against Bellon Import S.à r.l. and Biraghi S.p.A.
Date: 2001-02-10
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: cheese, designation of origin, interpretation of the law, location of production, national law

C 45/16

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10.2.2001

Action brought on 22 December 2000 by the Commission
of the European Communities against the French Republic

Reference for a preliminary ruling by the Cour de
Cassation Française, Chambre Commerciale, Financière et
E´ conomique, by judgment of that court of 19 December
2000 in the case of Ravil S.à r.l. against Bellon Import
S.à r.l. and Biraghi S.p.A.

(Case C-468/00)

(2001/C 45/30)

An action against the French Republic was brought before the
Court of Justice of the European Communities on 22 December
2000 by the Commission of the European Communities,
represented by Bernard Mongin, Legal Adviser, acting as Agent,
with an address for service in Luxembourg at the office of
Carlos Go´ mez de la Cruz, Wagner Centre, Kirchberg.

The Commission claims that the Court should:

1.

declare that, by not adopting the laws, regulations
and administrative provisions necessary to comply with
Council Directive 96/50/EC of 23 July 1996 on the
harmonisation of the conditions for obtaining national
boatmasters’ certificates for the carriage of goods and
passengers by inland waterway in the Community (1), or,
in any event, by failing to communicate those provisions
to the Commission, the French Republic has failed to
fulfil its obligations under that directive;

2.

order the French Republic to pay the costs.

(Case C-469/00)

(2001/C 45/31)

Reference has been made to the Court of Justice of the
European Communities by judgment of the Cour de Cassation
Française, Chambre Commerciale, Financière et E´ conomique,
of 19 December 2000, received at the Court Registry on
27 December 2000, for a preliminary ruling in the case of
Ravil S.à r.l. v Bellon Import Sà r.l. and Biraghi S.p.A. on the
following question:

‘Must Article 29 (ex Article 34) of the EC Treaty be interpreted
as precluding national legislation reserving the “grana padano”
designation of origin for cheese grated in the region of
production in so far as such an obligation is not indispensable
for preserving specific characteristics which the product has
acquired?’

Removal from the register of Case C-502/99 (1)

(2001/C 45/32)

By order of 6 September 2000 the President of the Court of
Justice of the European Communities has ordered the removal
from the register of Case C-502/99: Commission of the
European Communities v French Republic.

Pleas in law and main arguments

(1) OJ C 234 of 25.7.1998.

Article 249 EC (ex Article 189), whereby a directive is binding
upon any Member State to which it is addressed as to the
result to be achieved, implies an obligation on Member States
to comply with the time-limits for transposition laid down in
directives. That time-limit expired on 7 April 1998 without
the French Republic implementing the necessary provisions to
comply with Directive 96/50/EC.

(1) OJ 1996 L 235, p. 31.

Removal from the register of Case C-318/99 (1)

(2001/C 45/33)

By order of 19 September 2000 the President of the Court of
Justice of the European Communities has ordered the removal
from the register of Case C-318/99: Italian Republic v Com-
mission of the European Communities.

(1) OJ C 314 of 30.10.1999.