Free Movement of Goods - Fiscal Barriers - Internal Taxation

6 important questions on Free Movement of Goods - Fiscal Barriers - Internal Taxation

Name two types of protectionist taxes that Art. 110 distinguish.

1. Protectionist taxes on similar goods;
2. Protectionist taxes on competing goods.

Discrimination on similar goods in art. 110(1) can occur in two ways. How can this take place?

Art. 110(1) discrimination on similar goods can occur trough direct or indirect means.
  • Direct discrimination: national tax legislation legally disadvantages foreign goods;
  • Indirect discrimination: national tax formally applies to both foreign and domestic goods, but materially imposes a heavier fiscal burden on the foreign goods.

What is the difference between Art. 30 and Art. 110 TFEU

The difference between Art. 30 and Art. 110 TFEU is the following:

1. Art. 30 applies only on fiscal measures that is applied at the national border, while Art. 110 applies at tax law internally.

2. The scopes of these articles are mutually exclusive. The same fiscal charge cannot belong to both categories at the same time.
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When are two goods 'similar' within the meaning of Art. 110(1), and in which case did the Court explained it?

The meaning of 'similar' is defined in Dark-Tobacco case, para. 23. Goods are similar when they have:
  1. similar characteristics
  2. meet the same needs from the point of view of consumers
  3. their use is similar and comparable


Not relevant is whether they are identical.

Discrimination between goods can be objective justified. This is called objective justification. In which case set out the criteria to distinguish two products?

This is shown in Natural Sweet Wines. A Member State can discriminate on the basis of a regional policy objective, such a public policy objective will not amount to protectionist discrimination. The tax system must be neutral towards foreign goods.

Rule of law: preferential treatment is not discriminating when there are objective justification. 

When will two goods be in competition and, in which case the Court gave answer to this question?

The Court gave the concept of 'competition' a dynamic understanding of product substitution in Dark Tobacco.

Goods are similar when there is a degree of substitution for one another.
In order to determine the existence of a competitive relationship, it was necessary to consider not only the present state of the market but also possible developments, further potential of substitution of products.

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