Court of Justice (Full Court) 5 May 1981, 804/79 (Commission of the European Communities v United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.)

Also known as

In Case 804/79, the Court of Justice of the European Communities held that, following the expiry of the transitional period under Article 102 of the Act of Accession on 1 January 1979, exclusive competence over sea fisheries conservation measures vested fully and definitively in the Community, leaving Member States no residual unilateral power in this field. The United Kingdom failed to fulfil its Treaty obligations by bringing into force five statutory instruments on 1 July 1979 without adequate prior consultation and in spite of the Commission's express objections, and by maintaining a licensing system for herring fishing in the Irish Sea and waters around the Isle of Man without Commission consultation or authorisation, thereby preventing fishermen from other Member States from enjoying equal access to those fishery zones. The Court ordered the United Kingdom to pay the costs, including those of the interveners France and Ireland.AI