Environment: Commission takes ROMANIA to Court over failure to amend packaging waste legislation
The European Commission is referring Romania to the EU Court of Justice over its failure to enact revised EU legislation on packaging waste into domestic law. The revised Packaging Directive updates rules on packaging and packaging waste, with a view to reducing their impact on the environment.
Member States had to bring into force the laws necessary to comply with this Directive by 30 September 2013. After it missed the original deadline, Romania was sent a letter of formal notice on 29 November 2013, followed by a reasoned opinion on 11 July 2014. More than one year and a half after the deadline, the Directive is still not enacted into domestic legislation. The Commission has thus decided to call Romania before the EU Court of Justice.
Background
The revised Packaging Waste Directive updates previous legislation, reviewing and amending the list of illustrative examples of what constitutes packaging to ensure legal certainty and harmonise the interpretation of the definition of ‘packaging’. EU legislation in this area is intended to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging on the environment. It aims to provide a high level of environmental protection, and safeguards the functioning of the internal market by removing obstacles to trade, market distortion and restriction of competition.
For more information:
On the April infringement package decisions, see MEMO/15/4871
On the general infringement procedure, see MEMO/12/12
For more information on infringement procedures:
http://ec.europa.eu/eu_law/infringements/infringements_en.htm
IP/15/4874
Press contacts
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-Enrico BRIVIO (+32 2 295 61 72)
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-Iris PETSA (+32 2 299 33 21)
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