Customs law conversations: practitioners talk to practitioners, episode two

Vision Research Europe vs Dutch Customs

In this podcast, Nico Ooyevaar, Vice-Chair, IBA International Trade and Customs Law Committee, and partner at McMan & Co, discusses the Vision Research Europe vs Dutch Customs case with Yves Melin, Publications Officer, IBA International Trade and Customs Law Committee, and partner at Reed Smith.

The case emphasises that a focus before the courts on the technical capabilities of sophisticated electronic devices like high-speed cameras can be successful, despite several attempts of the European Commission to block the correct classification by introducing new arguments. For the Court of Justice of the EU, the demonstrated technical characteristics were strong enough to declare a contrary classification regulation of the Commission invalid. Tariff classification is about goods. It is therefore of vital importance that in a dispute the court fully understands what the product is. Pictures may not be enough; a demonstration in court may sway the opinion>

Music: “Time to Run” by Dexter Britain is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0