FAST ferry operators Hoverspeed have welcomed the European Commission decision to take legal action against Britain over cross-Channel shoppers.

The EC has said that British Customs officers are too tough in their treatment of passengers bringing cheap alcohol and cigarettes into the country.

Customs have confiscated the excise goods, as well as passengers’ vehicles, if officers have believed that the goods are not being bought for the person’s own use.

Yesterday, Chancellor Gordon Brown said first-time offenders should be allowed to keep their cars and goods, but should pay the UK duty they were attempting to evade, plus a fine.

Single market commissioner Frits Bolkestein said: "Cross-border shopping is a fundamental right under EU law and should not be regarded as a form of tax evasion."

The case will go to the European Court of Justice.

Hoverspeed managing director Geoffrey Ede welcomed the announcement.

Mr Ede said Hoverspeed had long campaigned against the actions of over-zealous Customs officers, who are alleged to have frightened legitimate shoppers from exercising their right to bring home cheap beer, wine and cigarettes.

"The actions of Customs officers in Dover are completely illegal and their behaviour towards the travelling public has been completely unacceptable. Hoverspeed has long campaigned against this.

"The problem lies with the fact that Customs officials are operating in ignorance of the proper rules governing cross-Channel shopping allowances. They have behaved in an arrogant manner and their attitude towards our customers has been too harsh.

"This has put people off travelling with us and we have received many letters from law-abiding customers concerned about they way they have been treated.

"Hoverspeed has taken every step to inform our customers what the rules are for cross-Channel shopping but customs staff in Dover have been a law unto themselves in this area and these officials need to be brought under control," added Mr Ede.

Addressing today’s decision by the EU to take the UK government to court over this issue, Mr Ede added: "Something has to be done to stop HM customs behaving in this way. HM Customs has to accept that their staff must comply with the law as it applies to cross-border shopping in the European Union."

But Dover's MP, Gwyn Prosser, has given his support to the Customs officers.

"In the last two years Dover has handled more than 30 million passengers and our Customs Officers have dealt with them fairly," he said.

"Dealing with such large volumes of people means that there will inevitably be a dozen or so misjudgments at the margins, but the vast majority of customers who act within the law are treated efficiently and courteously and the small number of smugglers and law breakers are dealt with firmly and promptly and that's the way it should be."

Mr Prosser said some EU Commissioners were more interested in raising their own political profiles and boosting their egos than bothering to understand the strategy behind Dover's Customs Control procedures.