The European Commission has failed to prove that the levying of national registration taxes on cars brought into Greece by non-resident European Union (EU) citizens who are transferred to that country for more than six months breaks EU law, the European Court of Justice has ruled.

Brussels had argued that the law was “disproportionate” and contrary to EU treaty provisions banning “discriminatory tax provisions”, but judges ruled that six months was long enough for Greek vehicle taxes to kick in legitimately.

The court even accepted that Greece could on a case-by-case basis charge full import duties on such cars brought into the country, if they were subsequently stolen.