Brussels, 15/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 14 May 2009, the European Commission decided to send Italy a reasoned opinion because it is still failing to respect a European Court of Justice ruling dating back to 25 September 2008 (Case C-368/07, Commission vs. Italy). In the ruling, the Court of Justice requires Italy to correctly transpose EU Directive 2000/59/EC of 27 November 2000 on waste treatment plants in ports for processing ships' operating waste and residues of cargos. The directive aims to cut the amount of ship waste (operating waste and cargo residues) dumped at sea originating from ships using EU ports. One of the main measures covers the preparation, approval and implementation by each port of plans for the reception and processing of waste from ships. The directive was supposed to be transposed into domestic law by 27 December 2002.
When the Court issued its ruling in 2008, a huge number of Italian ports still did not have any plans for the reception and processing of ship waste. Despite recent effort by the Italian government, the situation has not improved and the Commission is giving Italy a final opportunity to remedy the situation, failing which it will be sent back to the European Court of Justice and be fined for failing to act in accordance with the previous ruling. (L.C./transl.fl)