Press Release: Commission: France has fully met Court fisheries obligations – no further financial penalty

The European Commission decided on 23 November 2006 that France has fully met her legal obligations with regard to previous shortcomings in the enforcement of some fisheries measures. After a thorough evaluation of the situation in France at the end of the second 6-month period since the judgment of the European Court of Justice in July 2005, the Commission concluded that France had fully implemented the Court requirements. As a result, France will not incur a second penalty payment. This decision also brings to an end this infringement procedure against France which goes back to 1991 when the Court first passed judgment (see IP/06/252).