35In this respect, it should be borne in mind that those provisions must, in accordance with settled case-law in respect of derogations from fundamental freedoms, be interpreted strictly (see, inter alia, as regards the derogations provided for in Article 296 EC, Case C-284/05 Commission v Finland [2009] ECR I-11705, paragraph 46 and the case-law cited). Although Article 296(1)(b) EC refers to measures which a Member State may consider necessary for the protection of the essential interests of its security, that article cannot, however, be read in such a way as to confer on Member States a power to depart from the provisions of the EC Treaty based on no more than reliance on those interests (Commission v Finland, paragraph 47).
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