EC warns four member states for delays in responding to environmental complaints

“In order to efficiently process environmental complaints, the Commission

needs to have prompt Member State answers to its letters. It is therefore

very disappointed to have to resort to legal action just to obtain answers,”

commented EC Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström.

First warnings were sent last November to Ireland, Italy and France and this

time around Spain has been added to the list. The EC states that “in

general, Spain, Italy and France answer Commission requests on time”, but it

admits that “in the case of Ireland, despite some recent improvements,

delays in answering are a more regular feature”.

The EC has spelled out the nature of the complaints which still await

replies from the four member states.

Ireland

In the case of Ireland, the EC is waiting for details regarding the

following:

• pig farm developments in County Kilkenny (Environmental Impact

  Assessment Directive and the Dangerous Substances Directive)

• declines in water quality of Lough Gill, County Sligo (Dangerous

  Substances Directive)

• failure to designate a tributary of the River Liffey and the alleged

  impacts of a quarry at Brittas, County Kildare (Environmental Impact

  Assessment Directive and Freshwater Fish Directive)

• alleged operation of a waste facility without a waste permit at

  Cullinagh, Fermoy in County Cork and alleged pollution of water by chlorine

  and hydrocarbons as a result (Framework Waste Directive and the Groundwater Directive)

France

France has failed to reply to EC letters regarding two situations. The first

involves an alleged failure to remove wastes properly from Ales at a site

where a car racing track is planned (Framework Waste Directive, Groundwater

Directive and Dangerous Substances Directive). The second complaint awaiting

a reply from French authorities involves mineral extraction in the Grounde

Estuary and canalisation of the River Garonne. Both sites are habitats for

an endangered species – the Sturgeon (Habitats Directive and the

Environmental Impact Directive).

Spain

The EC has warned Spain over its failure to provide information in response

to three complaints. They are:

• alleged failure to protect salmon along a section of the River Mino

  where the Frieira hydro-electric plant is situated (Freshwater Fish

  Directive)

• alleged failure to undertake an environmental impact assessment for the

  enlargement of a road, despite the fact that the road crosses an important

  wild bird conservation area known as the Petrola-Almansa-Yecla

  (Enviornmental Impact Assessment Directive)

• complaint that canalisation works within the Albufera special protection

  area in the province of Valencia may have infringed on the Wild Birds and

  Habitats Directives

Meanwhile, Italy’s seven outstanding replies primarily involve complaints

about alleged infringements of environmental legislation from improper waste

management, landfill site operation and waste incineration plant operation

in several locations including areas around Naples, Milan and Siena.