Brussels, 25/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 24 January, a further step was taken in the infringement proceedings against Poland which, despite being called to order several times, still fails to fully comply with EU legislation aimed at preventing and combating water pollution caused by nitrates of agricultural origin. The European Commission is initiating action at the EU Court of Justice (third stage in infringement procedure) against the Polish authorities for having insufficiently implemented Directive 91/676/EEC, although the requirements set out in that legislation have been applicable in Poland since 2004.
The Commission reproaches Warsaw for still not having designated a sufficient number of zones that are vulnerable to nitrates pollution, and for not taking measures to effectively combat nitrates pollution in such zones. The Commission takes the view that the legislation and the action programmes adopted for the designated areas lack precision and have many failings. The prohibition periods are inadequate and the restrictions on spreading manure and fertilisers are insufficient.
Almost all of Poland's waters drain into the Baltic Sea, an area which already suffers from excessive levels of nitrates. The Commission therefore urges Poland to remedy this. The Polish authorities have, in fact, agreed to amend their legislation in response to a reasoned opinion (second stage in infringement proceedings), sent to them on 24 November 2011, but the Commission is losing patience as it considers progress to be too slow and the amendments proposed insufficient.
The “nitrates” directive aims to protect water quality throughout Europe by preventing nitrates used in farming from polluting groundwater and surface water and by promoting good farming practices. Excessive nitrate concentrations can damage fresh water and the marine environment by promoting excessive growth of algae that chokes other life, a process known as eutrophication. Purifying excess nitrates from drinking water is also a very costly business but prevention is better than cure. (AN/transl.jl)