Judgment of the Court (Seventh Chamber) of 19 July 2012 —
Commission v Italy

(Case C-565/10)

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Directive 91/271/EEC — Urban waste water treatment — Articles 3, 4 and 10 — Collection systems — Secondary or equivalent treatment — Treatment plants — Representative samples

1.                     Actions for failure to fulfil obligations — Examination of the merits by the Court — Situation to be taken into consideration — Situation on expiry of the period laid down in the reasoned opinion (Art. 258 TFEU) (see para. 22)

2.                     Environment — Urban waste-water treatment — Directive 91/271 — Implementation by Member States — Obligation to achieve a result — Failure to satisfy that obligation — Failure to fulfil obligations (Art. 258 TFEU; Council Directive 91/271, Arts 3, 4(1) and (3) and 10) (see para. 30, 34, 40, 42-44).

Re:

Operative part

The Court:

–        the agglomerations of Acri, Siderno, Bagnara Calabra, Bianco, Castrovillari, Crotone, Santa Maria del Cedro, Lamezia Terme, Mesoraca, Montebello Ionico, Motta San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria, Rende, Rossano, Scalea, Sellia Marina, Soverato, Strongoli (Calabria), Cervignano del Friuli (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Frascati (Lazio), Porto Cesareo, Supersano, Taviano (Puglia), Misterbianco and others, Aci Catena, Adrano, Catania and others, Giarre-Mascali-Riposto and others, Caltagirone, Aci Castello, Acireale and others, Belpasso, Gravina di Catania, Tremestieri Etneo, San Giovanni La Punta, Agrigento and its outskirts, Porto Empedocle, Sciacca, Cefalù, Carini and ASI Palermo, Palermo and bordering areas, Santa Flavia, Augusta, Priolo Gargallo, Carlentini, Scoglitti, Marsala, Messina 1, Messina and Messina 6 (Sicily), the population equivalent of which is more than 15 000, and which discharge into receiving waters not considered to be ‘sensitive areas’ within the meaning of Article 5 of Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste water treatment, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1137/2008 of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 October 2008, are equipped with collecting systems for urban waste water, in accordance with Article 3 of that directive;

–        in the agglomerations of Lanciano-Castel Frentano (Abruzzo), Acri, Siderno, Bagnara Calabra, Castrovillari, Crotone, Montebello Ionico, Motta San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria, Rossano (Calabria), Battipaglia, Benevento, Capaccio, Capri, Ischia, Casamicciola Terme, Forio, Massa Lubrense, Napoli Est, Vico Equense (Campania), Trieste-Muggia-San Dorligo (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Albenga, Borghetto Santo Spirito, Finale Ligure, Imperia, Santa Margherita Ligure, Quinto, Rapallo, Recco, Riva Ligure (Liguria), Casamassima, Casarano, Porto Cesareo, San Vito dei Normanni, Supersano (Puglia), Misterbianco and others, Scordia-Militello Val di Catania, Palagonia, Aci Catena, Giarre-Mascali-Riposto and others, Caltagirone, Aci Castello, Acireale and others, Belpasso, Gravina di Catania, Tremestieri Etneo, San Giovanni La Punta, Macchitella, Niscemi, Riesi, Agrigento and its outskirts, Favara, Palma di Montechiaro, Menfi, Porto Empedocle, Ribera, Sciacca, Bagheria, Cefalù, Carini and ASI Palermo, Misilmeri, Monreale, Santa Flavia, Termini Imerese, Trabia, Augusta, Avola, Carlentini, Ragusa, Scicli, Scoglitti, Campobello di Mazara, Castelvetrano 1, Triscina Marinella, Marsala, Mazara del Vallo, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Capo d’Orlando, Furnari, Giardini Naxos, Consortile Letojanni, Pace del Mela, Piraino, Roccalumera, Consortile Sant’Agata Militello, Consortile Torregrotta, Gioiosa Marea, Messina 1, Messina 6, Milazzo, Patti and Rometta (Sicily), the population equivalent of which is more than 15 000, and which discharge into receiving waters not considered to be ‘sensitive areas’ within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 91/271, as amended by Regulation No 1137/2008, urban waste water entering collecting systems is subject to treatment in conformity with the provisions of Article 4(1) and (3) of that directive; and

–        the urban waste water treatment plants constructed in order to comply with the requirements of Article 4 to 7 of Directive 91/271, as amended by Regulation No 1137/2008, are designed, constructed, operated and maintained to ensure sufficient performance under all normal local climatic conditions and in order that the treatment plants are designed so as to take into account seasonal variations of the load in the agglomerations of Lanciano-Castel Frentano (Abruzzo), Acri, Siderno, Bagnara Calabra, Castrovillari, Crotone, Montebello Ionico, Motta San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria, Rossano (Calabria), Battipaglia, Benevento, Capaccio, Capri, Ischia, Casamicciola Terme, Forio, Massa Lubrense, Napoli Est, Vico Equense (Campania), Trieste-Muggia-San Dorligo (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Albenga, Borghetto Santo Spirito, Finale Ligure, Imperia, Santa Margherita Ligure, Quinto, Rapallo, Recco, Riva Ligure (Liguria), Casamassima, Casarano, Porto Cesareo, San Vito dei Normanni, Supersano (Puglia), Misterbianco and others, Scordia-Militello Val di Catania, Palagonia, Aci Catena, Giarre-Mascali-Riposto and others, Caltagirone, Aci Castello, Acireale and others, Belpasso, Gravina di Catania, Tremestieri Etneo, San Giovanni La Punta, Macchitella, Niscemi, Riesi, Agrigento and its outskirts, Favara, Palma di Montechiaro, Menfi, Porto Empedocle, Ribera, Sciacca, Bagheria, Cefalù, Carini and ASI Palermo, Misilmeri, Monreale, Santa Flavia, Termini Imerese, Trabia, Augusta, Avola, Carlentini, Ragusa, Scicli, Scoglitti, Campobello di Mazara, Castelvetrano 1, Triscina Marinella, Marsala, Mazara del Vallo, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Capo d’Orlando, Furnari, Giardini Naxos, Consortile Letojanni, Pace del Mela, Piraino, Roccalumera, Consortile Sant’Agata Militello, Consortile Torregrotta, Gioiosa Marea, Messina 1, Messina 6, Milazzo, Patti and Rometta (Sicily),

the Italian Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Articles 3, 4(1) and (3) and 10 of Directive 91/271, as amended by Regulation No 1137/2008;