Brussels, 26/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to initiate an infringement procedure against Ireland and Spain for non-compliance with the obligation, which is their under Article 10 of the Treaty, to cooperate with the Commission in dealing with complaints regarding them. These two Member States will receive a letter of formal notice (first step in the infringement procedure under Article 226 of the Treaty) for not having replied to requests for information that should enable the Commission to assess the validity of complaints relating to the presumed non-compliance of Community legislation in the field of the environment. The complaints the Commission has received concern:
1) non-compliance by Ireland of the framework-directive on waste for: a) a discharge at the Poolbeg Peninsula, Dublin; b) municipal incinerators in Kilbarry and Tramore (County Waterford), as well as at Drumnaboden, Muckish and Glenalla (County Donegall); c) waste treatment plants in Lea and Ballymorris (County Laois);
2) a presumed infringement by Spain to the provisions of the "Habitats" and "Environmental Impact Assessment" Directives on certain public and private projects in relation to the proposed northern motorway near the Donana natural park.
In both cases, the infringement procedure is exclusively motivated by the failure of the Member states to cooperate and in no way prejudges the way the complaints themselves will be dealt with as to substance. Commenting on these decisions, the Commissioner for the Environment, Margot Wallstrom, declared: "In order to efficiently handle environmental complaints, the Commission needs prompt Member state answers to its letters. I would therefore urge all Member States to extend the necessary assistance".