17The Court has consistently held (see most recently the judgment in Joined Cases 201 and 202/85 Klensch v Secrétaire d'Etat à l'Agriculture et à la Viticulture [1986] ECR 3477, paragraph 21) that where it is necessary to interpret a provision of secondary Community law, preference should as far as possible be given to the interpretation which renders the provision consistent with the Treaty and the general principles of Community law.