BRUSSELS (AFP) - Judges ordered six European countries to pay overdue import taxes on imported arms, the European Court of Justice said on Tuesday.

Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece and Italy and were each ordered to cough up monies which go into European Union budgets after ruling on infringements dating from 1998 to 2002.

The countries had broadly argued that handing over funds would have "threatened their essential security interests," a statement from the court said.

The court said that defence was invalid because EU officials are also bound by collective confidentiality rules.

"A member state cannot avoid compliance with the obligations of joint financing of the (EU) budget," it underlined.

Customs duties were suspended on certain weapons and military equipment from the start of 2003. EU nations are regularly criticised for using the excuse of "security reasons" in refusing to reveal the nature of military purchases.