EU issues final warning over UK Customs policy

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The European Commission will sue the UK government if it does not relax its implementation of regulations governing the cross-border movement of excise goods within Europe.

The European Commission has given the UK government two months to change its Customs policy concerning intra-EU tobacco and liquor. The Commission issued a final warning over authorities' discretionary seizure of goods and vehicles from passengers exceeding the recommended allowances of excise goods, saying that the procedures interfere with people exercising the rights given to them by the EU's internal market.

UK Customs has faced several legal challenges in the issue in the past two years, most notably from cross-Channel ferry service Hoverspeed, and may face a suit in Europe's highest court if the Commission is not satisfied that officials have relaxed the policy.