Commission v Luxembourg

Water Framework Directive

The European Court of Justice has held that in failing to communicate to the Commission the laws, regulations and administrative provisions implementing the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, except for those relating to Article 3, Luxembourg had failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 24 of the Directive.

It also held that by failing to adopt the laws, regulations and administrative provisions to comply with Articles 2, 7(2) and 14 of the Directive within the correct timeframe, Luxembourg had failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 24.

Luxembourg had not transposed the definitions of the terms of Article 2 or the timescales within which the water quality standards were to be met, and had therefore not implemented the provision with the binding force required.

Luxembourg had no defence to justify the absence of a provision implementing Articles 7(2) on specific quality standards for bodies of water intended for human consumption, or for Article 14 on public consultation and information on the provision of draft water management plans.

The text of the case is available at the following link.

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