91996E0815

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0815/96 by Caroline Jackson (PPE) to the Commission (3 April 1996)

Subject: Directive 94/31/EEC on hazardous waste

In its reply of 10 October 1995 to my Written Question E-2415/95 ((OJ C 9, 15.1.1996, p.41. )) the Commission stated that only 5 Member States (Belgium (Wallonia and Brussels regions), Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria) had met the requirement of Directive 94/31/EEC ((OJ L 168, 2.7.1994, p.28. )) to inform the Commission by 27 June of the national measures they had taken to comply with its terms. The Commission also stated that it was initiating infringement proceedings against those Member States which had not complied.

Have these proceedings had any effect? Which Member States are still ignoring the terms of the directive? Why does the Commission not give adverse publicity to such infringements on such an important subject?

Answer given by Ms Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (22 May 1996)

The infringement proceedings announced in the reply to abovementioned written question from the Honourable Member have been initiated. To this end, letters of notice were sent to those Member States which failed to notify the national measures taken to transpose Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste, as amended by Directive 94/31/EC, within the time limit set by the Directive.

The countries concerned are Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Since these letters of notice were sent, the Commission has received notification of France's national measures, which partly transpose the Directive.

As a general rule, the Commission publicizes infringement proceedings initiated for failure to notify measures implementing directives. These proceedings were mentioned in the EU Bulletin of October 1995 (point 1.8.1) and will also be referred to in the 13th annual report on the application of Community law, shortly to be sent to Parliament.