Case C-99/12: Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 18 July 2013 (request for a preliminary ruling from the tribunal de première instance de Bruxelles — Belgium) — Eurofit SA v Bureau d’intervention et de restitution belge (BIRB) (Request for a preliminary ruling — Agriculture — Common organisation of the markets — Regulation (EEC) No 3665/87 — Export refunds — Misappropriation of goods intended for export — Exporter’s obligation to reimburse refunds — Failure of the competent authorities to provide information regarding the reliability of a contractor who is suspected of fraud — Force majeure — Absence)
Date: 2013-07-18
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: administrative transparency, consultation of information, export refund, fraud, trade information








C_2013260EN.01001201.xml










7.9.2013   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 260/12





Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 18 July 2013 (request for a preliminary ruling from the tribunal de première instance de Bruxelles — Belgium) — Eurofit SA v Bureau d’intervention et de restitution belge (BIRB)
(Case C-99/12) (1)

(Request for a preliminary ruling - Agriculture - Common organisation of the markets - Regulation (EEC) No 3665/87 - Export refunds - Misappropriation of goods intended for export - Exporter’s obligation to reimburse refunds - Failure of the competent authorities to provide information regarding the reliability of a contractor who is suspected of fraud - Force majeure - Absence)
2013/C 260/20
Language of the case: French

Referring court

Tribunal de première instance de Bruxelles

Parties to the main proceedings


Applicant: Eurofit SA

Defendant: Bureau d’intervention et de restitution belge (BIRB)

Re:

REQUEST for a preliminary ruling — Tribunal de première instance de Bruxelles — Interpretation of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3665/87 of 27 November 1987 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of export refunds on agricultural products (OJ L 351, p. 1) — Exporter's obligation to reimburse refunds in the event of misappropriation of goods — Failure of the competent authorities to provide requested information or communication of erroneous information to the exporter, constituting a case of force majeure within the meaning of the Regulation

Operative part of the judgment

The failure by the competent customs authorities to inform the exporter of the existence of a likelihood of fraud committed by the exporter’s contractor does not constitute a case of force majeure for the purposes of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3665/87 of 27 November 1987 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of export refunds on agricultural products, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2945/94 of 2 December 1994, and, in particular, the first indent of the third subparagraph of Article 11(1) thereof. While such a failure is liable to constitute an exceptional case within the meaning of the second indent of the third subparagraph of Article 11(1) of Regulation No 3665/87, as amended by Regulation No 2945/94, it cannot, however, release that exporter from its obligation to reimburse export refunds unduly received, that exporter being exempted only from having to pay sanctions due under that article.


(1)  OJ C 138, 12.5.2012.