UK negligent in failure to stop customs fraud, says senior EU lawyer
by Jennifer Rankin in Brussels from World news | The Guardian on (#5PB9B)
Non-binding opinion says UK allowed criminal gangs to flood Europe with cheap Chinese-made clothes
A senior EU lawyer has concluded that the British government was negligent in its failure to tackle customs fraud that allowed criminal gangs to flood European markets with cheap Chinese-made clothes and shoes.
The non-binding opinion from a European court of justice legal expert does not recommend any penalty, but bolsters the position of Brussels authorities who have demanded the UK pay 2bn (1.71bn) in compensation to the EU budget.
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