OREANDA-NEWS. May 16, 2011. The Government of Estonia is faced with claims by 21 companies applying to annul excess stock fees for sugar and other agricultural products. The fees totalling approx EUR 30 million arose due to Estonian accession to the European Union, reported the press-centre of Sorainen.

Partner Carri Ginter represented the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture in the Supreme Court, which accepted the reasoning that the case has to be sent to the Court of Justice of the EU for a preliminary ruling. The Supreme Court referred the case to the EU Court of Justice on 17 March 2011.

The EU Court of Justice will have to decide on the implications of the Skoma-Lux, Weidacher, Rakvere and Balbiino decisions as relevant precedents for similar cases. It also has to decide whether the failure of the European Commission to publish the relevant regulation on time in Estonian in the Official Journal has an effect on Estonia being able to recover fees for excess stocks. Proceedings in other cases will be stayed until a preliminary ruling is given in the current case of Pimix, an Estonian dairy company.