Commission proposes a fine and refers Romania to the Court of Justice of the EU over failure to transpose EU rules on sulphur.
17 months after the deadline for transposition, Romania has not transposed EU rules on the sulphur content of marine fuels into its national legislation. The Commission is asking the Court of Justice of the EU to impose a fine. The Commission is proposing a daily fine of EUR 38,042.6, which would be paid from the date of the Court ruling until Romania fully transposes the obligations of the Directives into national law. This penalty, proposed by the Commission under the Lisbon Treaty, takes into account the seriousness of the infringement, its duration and the deterrent effect reflecting the ability to pay of the Member State. The final decision on the penalty rests with the Court which however cannot exceed the amount specified by the Commission.
The sulphur legislation aims to reduce the effects of air pollution from sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. Sulphur dioxide is a pollutant mainly emitted by ships. As well as harming human health, the gas damages the environment and contributes to acid rain. Without the Sulphur Directive(Directive 2012/33/EU), emissions from shipping would soon surpass combined emissions from all land-based sources. Air pollution from docked ships is a major concern for many cities with ports in their efforts to meet the Union’s air quality limit values.
Source: EUROPA
