CELEX: C1997/074/04
Language: en
Date: 1997-03-08 00:00:00
Title: JUDGMENT OF THE COURT of 14 January 1997 in Joined Cases C-192/95 to C-218/95 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Tribunal d'Instance de Paris): Société Comateb and Others v. Directeur Général des Douanes et Droits Indirects (Dock dues - Recovery of sums not due - Obligation to pass on the charge - Overseas departments)

8 . 3 . 97            EN                    Official Journal of the European Communities                                    No C 74/3
1 . dismisses the application;                                              where it is established that the charge has been
                                                                            borne in its entirety by another person and that
                                                                            reimbursement of the trader would constitute unjust
2 . orders the Kingdom of Spain to pay the costs.                           enrichment. It is for the national courts to determine,
                                                                            in the light of the facts in each case, whether those
(') OJ No C 208 , 12 . 8 . 1995 .                                           conditions have been satisfied. If the burden of the
                                                                            charge has been passed on only in part, it is for
                                                                            the national authorities to reimburse the trader the
                                                                            amount not passed on.
                                                                       2 . The fact that there is a legal obligation to incorporate
                JUDGMENT OF THE COURT                                       the charge in the cost price does not mean that there is
                        of 14 January 1997                                  a presumption that the entire charge has been passed
                                                                            on, even where failure to comply with that obligation
in Joined Cases C- 192/95 to C-2 18/95 (reference for a                     carries a penalty.
preliminary ruling from the Tribunal d'Instance de Paris ):
Societe Comateb and Others v. Directeur General des
                 Douanes et Droits Indirects (')                       3 . Where, although the charge has been passed on to the
                                                                            purchaser, domestic law permits the trader to claim
(Dock dues — Recovery of sums not due — Obligation to                       that the illegal levying of the charge has caused him
          pass on the charge — Overseas departments)                        damage which excludes, in whole or in part, any
                            ( 97/C 74/04 )                                  unjust enrichment, it is for the national court to give
                                                                            such effect to the claim as may be appropriate.
                 (Language of the case: French)                        (') OJ No C 208 , 12 . 8 . 1995 .
    (Provisional translation; the definitive translation will be
           published in the European Court Reports)
In Joined Cases C-192/95 to C-218/95 : reference to the
                                                                                      JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
Court under Article 177 of the EC Treaty by the Tribunal
d'Instance de Paris, for a preliminary ruling in the                                             ( Sixth Chamber)
proceedings pending before that court between Société                                         of 16 January 1997
 Comateb ( C-192/95 ), Société Panigua ( C-193/95 ), Société
 Édouard et Fils ( C-194/95 ), Société de Distribution de              in Case C-134/95 (reference for a preliminary ruling from
Vins et Liqueurs ( C- 1 95/95 ), Établissements André Haan             the Pretura Circondariale, Biella): Unità Socio-Sanitaria
 ( C-l 96/95 ), Société Diffusion Générale de Quincaillerie            Locale n. 47 di Biella (USSL) v. Istituto Nazionale per
 ( C-197/95 ), Société Diffusion Générale ( C-198/95 ), Société         l'Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (INAIL) (')
 Cama Renault ( C-199/95 ), SCP Ovide et Dorville ( C-200/              (Workers — Labour procurement service — Statutory
 95 ), Société Ducros Guadeloupe ( C-201 /95 ), Société                                              monopoly)
 Comptoir Commercial Caraïbes ( C-202/95 ), Société Giafa
 ( C-203/95 ), Société LVS ( C-204/95 ), Société Catherine et                                        97/C 74/05 )
Jean-Claude Tabar Nouval ( C-205/95 ), Société l'Heure et
 l'Or ( C-206/95 ), Société Général Bazar Bricolage ( C-207/                            (Language of the case: Italian)
 95 ), Société Grain d'Or ( C-208/95 ), Société Cash Service
 ( C-209/95 ), Établissements Efira ( C-210/95 ), Société Fa­
 randole ( C-211/95 ), Société Carat ( C-212/95 ), Société Rio            (Provisional translation; the definitive translation will be
  ( C-213/95 ), Société Guadaloupéenne de Distribution Mod­                       published in the European Court Reports)
 erne ( SGDM ) ( C-214/95 ), Martinique Automobiles SA
  (C-215/95 ), Socovi Sari ( C-216/95 ), Établissements Ga­             In Case C- 134/95 : reference to the Court under Article 177
  briel Vangour et Cie Sari ( C-217/95 ), Simat Guadeloupe
                                                                        of the EC Treaty from the Pretura Circondariale (District
  Sari ( C-218/95 ) and Directeur Général des Douanes et
  Droits Indirects — on the interpretation of Community                 Magistrate's Court), Biella ( Italy ), for a preliminary ruling
  law concerning repayment of sums not due, the Court                   in the proceedings pending before that court between
                                                                        Unità Socio-Sanitaria Locale n. 47 di Biella ( USSL ) and
 composed of: G. C. Rodriguez Iglesias, President, G. F.
  Mancini, J. C. Moitinho de Almeida and J. L. Murray,                  Istituto Nazionale per l'Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni
  Presidents of Chamber, P. J. G. Kapteyn, D. A. O. Edward              sul Lavoro ( INAIL ) — on the interpretation of Articles 48 ,
  ( Rapporteur), J. -P. Puissochet, P. Jann and H. Ragnemalm,           49, 54 and 90 of the EC Treaty — the Court ( Sixth
  Judges, Advocate-General : G. Tesauro, Registrar: H. von              Chamber ), composed of: J. L. Murray, President of the
  Holstein, Deputy Registrar, has given a judgment on                   Fourth Chamber, acting for the President of the Sixth
   14 January 1997 in which it rules :                                  Chamber, C. N. Kakouris, P. J. G. Kapteyn ( Rapporteur ),
                                                                        G. Hirsch and H. Ragnemalm, Judges; M. B. Elmer,
                                                                        Advocate-General; L. Hewlett, Administrator, for the
   1 . A Member State may resist repayment to the trader of             Registrar, has given a judgment on 16 January 1997, in
       a charge levied in breach of Community law only                  which it has ruled :