European Commission calls member states to comply with directives

A monthly report from the European Commission listed a number of European Union (EU) member states, which will be subject of legal action for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law.

In the energy and environmental protection sectors, some of the EU country members, followed by Balkan Green Energy News, such as Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Greece, among other countries were called to immediately comply with laws and report on reasons for the respective infringements, according to the Commission’s press release.

Slovenia has been called to comply with Article 14(1) of the Energy Efficiency Directive (Directive 2012/27/EU). The Commission reported that the country hasn’t filed “a comprehensive assessment of the potential for the application of high-efficiency cogeneration and efficient district heating and cooling.” The original deadline was December 31, 2015, and now Slovenia has additional two months to inform the Commission about the measures it has taken. Otherwise, authorities in Ljubljana could face the proceedings at the Court of Justice of the EU.

Romania has been tasked to adhere to the Oil Stocks Directive (Council Directive 2009/119/EC), which requires a state to maintain minimum stocks of crude oil and petroleum products, which must be available all times. “The current Romanian legislation prohibits the use of oil stocks as collaterals, i.e. assets offered to secure a loan,” said the Commission report. Romania has been allowed two extra months to report on change of the legislation.

On the environment protection front, the Commission was urging Greece to bring its national laws on the assessment and management of flood risks into line with the EU rules on flood protection (Directive 2007/60/EC). Greece hasn’t filed flood hazard and flood risk maps by the 2014 deadline.

The EU’s executive body also requested Croatia to ensure proper waste management in Biljane Donje, where a large amount of mineral aggregate is deposited without proper protection. The by‐product from the recovery of metal from slag is potentially harmful for soil at the “Crno brdo” site in Biljane Donje, near the town of Benkovac.

A detailed infringement decisions’ register is available on the Europa web site.