Strasbourg, 22/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of a resolution on the degree of implementation of environmental directives, the EP invites the Commission to publish on a regular basis and in a form that is clear and accessible to the general public, through the Internet for example, an updated table for cases of infringement of EU legislation by a Member State, as well as the measures taken by the Commission so that the State in question complies with Community law. It also calls on the Commission to produce, on the same basis, a positive table of measures taken by the Member States that effectively implement environmental directives, in order to place emphasis on models of good practice.
The Parliament also adopted three reports on the implementation of directives concerning:
Protection of waters against nitrate pollution. With the adoption of the report by British Conservative Robert Goodwill, the Parliament notes that the implementation of the directive is in no way satisfactory, except in Denmark and Sweden, and that the Commission has been slow in censuring the shortcomings of Member States. It insists that the Commission should unhesitatingly and with the greatest speed use every legal means, including adequate fines, to enforce correct implementation of the directive each time it discovers that a Member State has failed in its obligations. The EP recommends, as a priority, implementation of the legislation in force rather than rewording or recasting of the directive.
Safeguarding natural habitats. With the adoption of the report by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL, Sweden), the Parliament calls on the Commission to take all necessary measures in order to guarantee the implementation of the directive. It hopes the measures will be adopted as soon as possible in order to allow: - clarification that the fauna-flora-habitat directive is not an instrument intended to prevent major infrastructure measures and that the classification of an area as a "Natura 2000 site" does not mean all economic activity there should be brought to a standstill; - strengthen the participation of citizens and local authorities involved.
Elimination of PCBs and PCTs. With the adoption of the report by British Labour member David Bowe, the Parliament notes that, with the notable exception of Finland and the Netherlands, the Member States have not implemented the directive satisfactorily. It stresses that this is mainly due to their inability to draw up an inventory of existing PCBs, even though this inventory is an essential precondition for their elimination. It denounces the fact that no analysis so far has allowed such difficulties to be foreseen. For application of the directive, it notes that some Member States have resorted to financial incentives to encourage economic operators to declare the presence of PCBs and thus establish inventories. Consequently, it calls on the Commission to revise the 1996 directive as a matter of urgency and in so doing to envisage the use of such incentives, especially for SMEs.
During the debate, British Conservative Caroline Jackson, Chair of the Committee on the Environment, was highly critical of the poor implementation of the directives on PCB and PCT, habitats and even nitrates. After having stressed that only two States have really transposed the directives, she said the Commission should bring Member States before the court if they have not complied with Community legislation, in order to impose penalties. After the fashion of Ms Jackson nearly all speakers criticised the Member States that do not comply with Community legislation, and thus set a very bad example for the countries hoping to join the Union when it enlarges. They insisted for the adoption of sufficient financial penalties that would force Member States to apply the law.
Commissioner Margot Wallström stressed that the European Commission is perfectly aware of all the problems posed regarding compliance with Community environmental legislation. She cited the different measures taken by the Commission to enforce this law: proceedings before the Court of Justice, financial sanctions, pressure from the media, better information for citizens, the training of judges, links established between respect of the legislation and Community co-funding allowing pressure to be brought on Member States, and a scoreboard for bathing waters. "This does not mean that there is nothing left for us to do", she said, confirming her personal commitment to ensuring full respect of Community law. She rejected the accusations of complacency towards the European Commission which "is doing its best" given the number of complaints that have been filed. "We do not have the means to go everywhere in the Member States to verify everything (…) unless you give me 500 more staff", she said. Regarding the "nitrates" directive, she stressed that this is an ambitious text, which, in some Member States (the ones that probably did not realise it when they adopted it, said Ms Wallström) means entirely reviewing agriculture policy.