Brussels, 19/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - According to an announcement made by the European Commission on Thursday, 19 November, Greece faces massive fines for persistent breach of European Directive 91/271/EEC on the treatment of wastewater and the non-execution of a Court ruling.
Eleven years after the first decision by the European Court of Justice (C-119/02) against Greece, the country is still not always treating the urban wastewater collected and discharged into the Gulf of Elefsina adequately. This infringement of EU law poses a threat to public health and the environment.
The Commission's second request made to the Court of Justice of the EU calls on it to impose a lump sum of €15,943,620 from the date of the first judgment until Greece has rectified the infringement or in the absence of compliance until the date of the second judgment.
This demand for a fine to be imposed is also accompanied by a request to impose a daily amount or fine of €34,974 - which would be paid from the date of the Court ruling, until Greece fully complies with EU law.
The Commission certainly acknowledges that there has been progress since 2004. Nonetheless, only 28% of the urban wastewater is currently collected and treated before being discharged into the Gulf of Elefsina. Furthermore, the collection rate has made practically no improvement since July 2012 when the wastewater treatment facility started operating. In view of the seriousness and persistent infringement and in the absence of any indication as to when this will come to an end, the Commission is hoping that the threat of financial sanctions will dissuade Greece from ignoring its legal obligations any longer. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)