Filenews 3 February 2021
Cyprus has not harmonised its legislation with the European Union Directives on waste management, says the Federation of Environmental Organisations of Cyprus (OPOK) and says there is a real risk of EU fines being idly on.
According to a notice, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment submitted two bills and three draft regulations to the House of Representatives, without being subjected in advance to legal technical control by the Legal Service of the Republic, due to a long delay in their preparation.
In particular, at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Safety, which took place today, Wednesday, the debate began on two proposed bills concerning the Waste (Amendment) Law of 2020 and the Packaging and Waste Packaging (Amendment) Act 2020.
Three draft regulations were also discussed, concerning the Waste (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) (Amendment) Regulations of 2020, the Waste (Health Burial Areas) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 and the Waste (Electric Columns or Accumulators) (Amendment) Regulations of 2020.
The European Commission, it added, has initiated four infringement proceedings, as the deadline for harmonisation with the Waste Management Directives has passed on 5 July 2020, and has forwarded four Letters of Warning to the Authorities of the Republic of Cyprus on 8 October 2020.
According to OPOK, due to a delay in the preparation of the proposed bills and draft regulations, as well as for the purposes of direct harmonisation, the proposed bills and draft regulations have not been audited by the Legal Service of the Republic.
"In the above circumstances, the responsibility for proper and complete harmonisation with the above Directives remains with the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment and is not passed on to the Legal Service of the Republic" he added.
The Federation of Environmental Organisations of Cyprus recommends the adoption, as soon as possible, of the two bills and three draft regulations by the House of Representatives "in order to avoid the possibility of the European Commission going to the Court of Justice of the European Union and the consequent, almost certain, conviction of the Republic of Cyprus, with the risk of imposing a very high penalty payment", concludes the communication.
Source: Eyenews/CYP
