§ Mr. SternTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the judgment in the case of Witzemannv. Hauptzollamt München-Mitte by the European Court of Justice on 2 and 25 October and 6 December 1990, case C-343/89; what information he has as to the costs falling to the Community of the case; and if he will outline how a judgment against the accused would be enforced in such a case, in respect of financial penalties.
§ Sir John CopeI have noted the outcome. There are no new United Kingdom policy implications. Where an 393W action is brought under article 177 of the EC treaty for a preliminary ruling by the ECJ, the costs of the action are reserved to the national court. Any judgment in the national court will be enforced in accordance with the laws of that member state.