Case C-262/02, Commission v. France and Case C-429/02, Bacardi France SAS and Télévision française 1 SA (TF1) et al., judgments of the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of 13 July 2004

Publishers Abstract:
More than any other product, alcohol has contributed to the development of Community law. Advertising is the area in which the Court of Justice has developed and refined its case law on 'selling arrangements'. A Judgment on alcohol advertising therefore naturally attracts attention. This case note concerns two judgments on alcohol advertising, pronounced the same day and both dealing with the compatibility of a specific aspect of the French 'loi Evin' with Article 49 EC (free provision of services): the prohibition of the televising in France of sport events taking place in other Member States if hoardings displayed at those events promote alcoholic beverages. The Court finds that this prohibition is compatible with Community law.