The European Commission took recourse against Greece on Thursday by referring three distinct cases to the Court of Justice of the European Union for alleged failures in waste-water treatment, professional qualifications recognition and radio equipment regulations.
Urban Waste-Water Treatment Directive
In the first case, the Commission focuses on Greece’s persistent non-compliance with the Urban Waste-Water Treatment Directive. This directive mandates that urban waste water must be collected and treated before being discharged to safeguard public health and the environment.
Greece has failed to meet these obligations in 153 agglomerations. According to the Commission, many of these areas lack adequate waste water collection systems. Additionally, 143 agglomerations do not provide the required secondary treatment, and one fails to offer the necessary stringent treatment for sensitive areas.
Despite a formal notice in May 2020 and a reasoned opinion in December 2021, Greece’s progress remains inadequate. This referral marks the fourth infringement case against Greece under this directive, with previous cases resulting in fines for non-compliance.
The Commission highlights that Greece needs to build new infrastructure and upgrade existing systems to meet the directive’s standards. While some progress has been made, bringing approximately 150 agglomerations into compliance using EU co-financing, the Commission deems the efforts insufficient and has thus referred the case to the Court of Justice.
Recognition of professional qualifications
The second case addresses Greece’s non-compliance with EU legislation on the recognition of professional qualifications, specifically Directive 2005/36/EC as amended by Directive 2013/55/EU, and Article 45 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFUE).
These rules facilitate the mobility of professionals across EU Member States by standardizing the recognition process for qualifications.
Greek law imposes unnecessarily burdensome procedures on professionals, such as school directors and education managers, who are qualified in other Member States. This violates EU rules by making it harder for these professionals to enter the Greek labor market.
Despite a letter of formal notice in September 2022 and a reasoned opinion in April 2023, Greece has not aligned its national rules with EU legislation. As a result, the Commission has decided to refer this case to the Court of Justice, seeking to enforce compliance and ensure professionals can move and work freely within the EU.
Radio equipment directive
The third case involves Greece’s failure to implement the Directive on the harmonization of laws related to radio equipment, particularly the adoption of a common charging solution.
The amendment to the Radio Equipment Directive (Directive 2014/53/EU) requires a unified charging standard for a range of devices, including mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, and portable speakers, starting from December 2024, with laptops following in April 2026.
Greece has not notified the necessary national measures to transpose the new Directive by the December 2023 deadline. Consequently, the Commission has issued a reasoned opinion, giving Greece two months to comply.
If Greece fails to respond and take the required measures, the Commission may refer this case to the Court of Justice.
By addressing these breaches, the Commission aims to protect public health, support the mobility of professionals across the EU, and promote technological standardization, thus fostering a more integrated and functional European Union.
