Brussels, 22/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission gave formal notice to Greece and the United Kingdom for compliance with the rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Communities in March 2002 concerning the implementation of the directive on the integrated reduction and prevention of pollution. Greece has not adopted national rules governing the range of activities that come under the directive, and the United Kingdom has not yet implemented the directive in Northern Ireland.
If these two Member States continue in their failure to adequately comply with the Court's rulings, the proceedings initiated could result in the imposition of high fines. The Commission, moreover, has sent a reasoned opinion to Austria as the national measures that it has taken to implement the directive are not in conformity. The directive aims to ensure that potentially polluting activities are subject to strict environmental controls. Incomplete implementation of the directive may entail inadequate national monitoring of the industrial activities most likely to pollute the environment.