The European Court of Justice has freed the European Commission from paying heavy damages to veterinary pharmaceutical giants CEVA Sante Animale SA and Pfizer Enterprises for allegedly overly delaying setting a maximum residue limit for medicines containing progesterone.
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Brussels claimed it had consider a decision from 1993 to 2001 because of “conflicting scientific advice”, but the drug companies claimed Brussels had ignored its duty to be an efficient regulator and so owed damages for lack of business. The Commission lost an initial ECJ Court of First Instance case but this has been overturned on appeal, with judges ruling Brussels needs “sufficient discretion” on when to set MRLs.
