WERE RAISED IN THE CONTEXT OF PROCEEDINGS INSTITUTED AGAINST THE BELGIAN STATE BY THREE BELGIAN UNDERTAKINGS ENGAGED IN THE IMPORTATION OF BUTCHER ' S MEAT AND POULTRY-MEAT IN CONNECTION WITH PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTIONS AND THE CHARGES RELATING THERETO PAID BY THOSE UNDERTAKINGS .
3 IT IS CLEAR FROM THE JUDGMENTS MAKING THE REFERENCE THAT THE INSPECTIONS IN QUESTION WERE CARRIED OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE BELGIAN LEGISLATION . HOWEVER , THE PLAINTIFFS CONTENDED THAT THE INSPECTIONS WERE MERELY A REPETITION OF THE FIRST INSPECTION CARRIED OUT BY THE EXPORTING STATE AND WERE THEREFORE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE RELEVANT COMMUNITY DIRECTIVES . THE PLAINTIFFS THEREFORE CLAIMED REPAYMENT OF THE INSPECTION CHARGES PAID TO THE BELGIAN STATE .
4 IN THE PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE NATIONAL COURT , THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM CHALLENGED THE PLAINTIFFS ' ARGUMENT ON THE GROUND THAT THE BELGIAN INSPECTION FELL OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE DIRECTIVES , INASMUCH AS IT DIFFERED FROM THAT CARRIED OUT IN THE EXPORTING STATE . IN ITS VIEW , THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THAT INSPECTION WAS FIRST OF ALL TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER ANY CHANGES HAD OCCURRED IN THE CONDITION OF THE MEAT OR POULTRY WHILST IN TRANSIT AND ITS STATE OF PRESERVATION AND , SECONDLY , TO DETECT ANY RESIDUES OF BACTERIOSTATIC SUBSTANCES WITH HORMONAL OR ANTI-HORMONAL ACTION WHICH THE MEAT MIGHT CONTAIN .
5 IN ITS ANALYSIS OF THE INSPECTION CARRIED OUT BY THE BELGIAN AUTHORITIES , THE NATIONAL COURT FIRST TOOK THE VIEW THAT , IN SO FAR AS THE PURPOSE OF THE INSPECTION WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE IMPORTED GOODS WERE IN CONFORMITY WITH THE BELGIAN LEGISLATION , IT MANIFESTLY CONSTITUTED , IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES , A SYSTEMATIC REPETITION OF THE FIRST INSPECTION CARRIED OUT IN THE EXPORTING COUNTRY AND WAS THUS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF COMMUNITY LAW .
6 HAVING COME TO THAT CONCLUSION , THE NATIONAL COURT CONSIDERED THAT IT REMAINED TO BE DETERMINED WHETHER A SYSTEMATIC INSPECTION , IN SO FAR AS ITS PURPOSE WAS TO ASCERTAIN ANY CHANGES IN THE CONDITION OF THE GOODS WHILST IN TRANSIT FROM THE EXPORTING STATE AND THEIR STATE OF PRESERVATION ON ENTERING BELGIAN TERRITORY , WAS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF COMMUNITY LAW APPLICABLE IN THE PRESENT CASE . IT TOOK THE VIEW THAT IT WAS NECESSARY , BEFORE GIVING JUDGMENT , TO REFER TWO QUESTIONS TO THE COURT FOR A PRELIMINARY RULING ON THAT POINT .
7 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM AGAIN DENIED BEFORE THE COURT THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTIONS CARRIED OUT BY IT ON BOTH BUTCHER ' S MEAT AND POULTRY-MEAT WERE MERELY A REPETITION OF THE FIRST INSPECTION PERFORMED IN THE EXPORTING STATE . IT ALSO STATED THAT SUCH INSPECTIONS WERE NOT CARRIED OUT SYSTEMATICALLY AT THE FRONTIER BUT IN CUSTOMS OFFICES OR SUB-OFFICES DESIGNATED FOR THAT PURPOSE .
8 IT THEREFORE EXPRESSED DOUBTS REGARDING THE RELEVANCE OF THE QUESTIONS RAISED AND ASKED THE COURT TO STAY THE PROCEEDINGS PENDING THE JUDGMENT OF THE COUR