Waste: Commission refers Romania to Court of Justice for failing to adopt national measures on waste management and waste prevention

The European Commission is taking Romania to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to review and adopt its national waste management plan and waste prevention programme, in line with the objectives of EU Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC) and the circular economy.

Despite earlier warnings from the Commission, the Romanian authorities have failed to review and update their national waste management plan and waste prevention programme. This revision should have taken place at the latest by 2013. The Commission initiated the infringement procedure in September 2015 and sent a reasoned opinion to Romania in May 2016, urging the authorities to promptly adopt these core instruments required by the waste legislation.

The Commission has been checking the compliance with these obligations for all Member States. Infringement cases have been opened against several Member States such as Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, France, Spain and Slovenia. These cases are at different stages, and two of them have been closed (Slovenia and Croatia) following adoption of the appropriate plans and programmes.

Background

The Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC) aims to protect the environment and human health by preventing or reducing the adverse impacts of the generation and management of waste and by reducing overall impacts of resource use and improving the efficiency of such use.

Under the Directive, Member States had to adopt national waste management plans by 12 December 2010, and waste prevention programmes by 12 December 2013.

Such plans and programmes are intended to reduce the impact of waste on human health and the environment, and to improve resource efficiency across the EU. They are also a key for accessing EU funds and setting the framework for the development of sustainable waste infrastructure. Member States have to re-evaluate their waste management plans at least every six years and revise them as appropriate.

Romania is one of the most underperforming Member State in terms of managing municipal solid waste, with the highest landfilling rate of 72%, far above the EU average of 25,6%, in 2015.

For More Information

-General information on infringements proceedings in the areas of Environment.

-On the key decisions in the April 2017 infringements package, see full MEMO/17/1045.

-On the general infringements procedure, see MEMO/12/12(an info graph).

-On the EU infringements procedure.

IP/17/1047