EU fines

Do you remember that "France was "sentenced to pay a lump sum of 20 million euro and a penalty payment of 57,8 million euro for each period of six months (judgment given on 12 July 2005)" England Expects reports that in fact France paid the lump sum and one penalty payment, "in other words it paid a total of 77.8 million out of 2.37 billion euros fine or only about 3.3% of the total. Gloriously, according to the Auditor this could be classified a success."

How do the EU justify this?