Brussels, 01/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - Among the raft of new infringement proceedings published on Thursday 31 May, several member states have been singled out for persistently failing to respect EU environment laws and will be sent reasoned opinion warning letters, the second stage in the infringement proceedings, for failing to respond to several warnings.
Waste Water Directive - Greece does not apply for residual waste urban water in Prosotsani, Doxato Leleftheroupoli and Vagia the secondary treatment required under the EU directive. In eight other agglomerations, reject water from the sewage treatment plants fails to comply with EU rules.
Dumping of waste (Directive 99/31/EC) - Greece has been singled out because the dump at Kato in the Pelloponese does not operate properly, and Italy has been singled out for failing to deal properly with waste at the Malagrotta dump.
Protection of natural habitats (Directive 92/43/EEC) - Hungary allows timber to be felled in the Sar-Eger Forest in the Natura 2000 site Csaholc-Garbolc, without any prior impact assessment study or measures to properly compensate for the loss of natural habitat. - Romania has failed to carry out a full, detailed, impact assessment study for the planned development of a beach at Sulina on the Black Sea.
Ecological elimination of end-of-life cars (Directive 2011/37/EU) - Romania and Slovakia have not notified the Commission of national measures to transpose the directive, missing the 31 December 2011 deadline.
The five member states now have two months to respond, failing which they may be referred to the European Court of Justice. (AN/transl.fl)