92003E0809

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0809/03

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 March 2003)

Subject: Violation of Community environmental legislation in Greece

Could the Commission give a figure for the number of presumed violations of Community environmental legislation in Greece and say which areas are affected? In which cases has it referred Greece to the European Court of Justice and in which other cases is it preparing to do so?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2003)

On 10 April 2003, the Commission had 94 cases open against Greece relating to suspected or confirmed violations of Community environmental legislation. Of the 94 cases, 25 related to Community legislation on waste management, 22 to nature conservation and 21 to Directive 85/337/EEC(1), as amended by Directive 97/11/EC(2). Eleven cases related to atmospheric pollution, 10 to water protection, and 5 to other sectors of Community environmental legislation. The Commission has already initiated infringement procedures against Greece in 39 cases.

At present, the Commission has referred six cases to the Court of Justice, namely cases C-301/2001 (non-conformity of national measures transposing Directive 85/337/EEC into Greek law), C-83/2002 (failure to communicate the information required under Article 11 of Directive 96/59/EC)(3), C-119/2002 (the absence of a collection system or a plant for the tertiary treatment of urban waste water in the Thriassio region), C-351/02 (failure to notify national measures transposing Directive 1999/31/EC)(4), C-352/02 (failure to notify national measures transposing Directive 2000/14/EC)(5) and C-420/02 (the operation of a landfill at Pera Galinoi).

The Commission has also decided to refer four infringement cases to the Court of Justice. The cases were still being prepared on 10 April 2003. The infringements in question relate to the incompatibility of Greek legislation on the bird hunting season, the collection and treatment of waste oils in Greece, pollution in the Thriassio Pedio region, and the operating conditions of a power station at Linoperamata on Crete.

(1) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) Council Directive 96/59/EC of 16 September 1996 on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT) OJ L 243, 24.9.1996, p. 31.

(4) Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste OJ L 182, 16.7.1999.

(5) Directive 2000/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 May 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors OJ L 162, 3.7.2000.