Motor sport's governing body, the FIA, has begun legal proceedings against the EU in the European Court of Justice.

The move comes as a result of statements made about the FIA by the competition commissioner, Karel van Miert, together with what is alleged to be the transmission, by his staff to journalists, of confidential documents sent by the commission to the FIA.

This is the latest round in a debate over the global television rights owned by the FIA, which it has licensed to Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Administration empire and which are worth in excess of £200 million. Van Miert considers these rights amount to a cartel, but the FIA has been resolute in its efforts to persuade him that this is not the case.

It is believed the governing body opted for legal action in order to get Van Miert's full attention.

The FIA would appear to be irked that Van Miert has made critical comments to the media before examining the arguments it put forward.