CELEX: 61981CJ0073
Failure of a State to fulfil its obligations
Non-implementation of a directive concerning the quality required of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the Member States

1 BY APPLICATION LODGED AT THE COURT REGISTRY ON 6 APRIL 1981 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES BROUGHT AN ACTION FOR A DECLARATION UNDER ARTICLE 169 OF THE EEC TREATY THAT BY FAILING TO ADOPT WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED PERIOD THE PROVISIONS NEEDED IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 75/440/EEC OF 16 JUNE 1975 CONCERNING THE QUALITY REQUIRED OF SURFACE WATER INTENDED FOR THE ABSTRACTION OF DRINKING WATER IN THE MEMBER STATES ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 194 , P . 26 ), THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM HAS FAILED TO FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE THIRD PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 189 OF THE TREATY .
2 ARTICLE 10 OF THE DIRECTIVE PROVIDES THAT MEMBER STATES ARE TO BRING INTO FORCE THE MEASURES NEEDED IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTIVE WITHIN TWO YEARS OF NOTIFICATION THEREOF . THAT PERIOD EXPIRED , IN THIS CASE , ON 18 JUNE 1977 .
3 THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT DOES NOT DENY THAT IT HAS NOT FULFILLED THAT OBLIGATION . ALTHOUGH THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT ASKED THE COURT ' ' TO TAKE NOTE THAT THE DIRECTIVE IN QUESTION HAS ALREADY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MEASURES IMPLEMENTING IT IN PART ' ' , IT IS CLEAR FROM THE PARTICULARS SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN BY THAT GOVERNMENT THAT THE MEASURES WHICH IT HAS ADOPTED ARE NOT DESIGNED TO IMPLEMENT COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 75/440 .
4 ESSENTIALLY , THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT JUSTIFIES ITS FAILURE BY THE FACT THAT IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS CONCERNING REDISTRIBUTION OF POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN NATIONAL AND REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE IN PROGRESS , ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE DIRECTIVE IN QUESTION . SO LONG AS THE NEW INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT YET IN A POSITION TO EXERCISE THEIR POWERS IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE , ACCORDING TO THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT , TO IMPLEMENT THE DIRECTIVE .
5 ALTHOUGH THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY EXPLAIN THE DIFFICULTY IN APPLYING THE DIRECTIVE THEY DO NOT EXPUNGE THE FAILURE OF THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM TO FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS . ACCORDING TO ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW OF THE COURT A MEMBER STATE MAY NOT PLEAD PROVISIONS , PRACTICES OR CIRCUMSTANCES IN ITS INTERNAL LEGAL     SYSTEM TO JUSTIFY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH OBLIGATIONS UNDER COMMUNITY DIRECTIVES .
6 IT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT THAT , IN ORDER THAT THE EXCEPTIONAL SITUATION REFERRED TO BY HIS GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT , THE BELGIAN MINISTER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT , IN ANSWER TO THE REASONED OPINION PROVIDED FOR IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 169 OF THE TREATY , REQUESTED THE COMMISSION ON 14 NOVEMBER 1979 TO GRANT THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM AN ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF ONE YEAR TO ADOPT THE MEASURES OF NATIONAL LAW NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE DIRECTIVE . THESE MEASURES OUGHT TO HAVE ENTERED INTO FORCE IN JUNE 1977 , AND IN FACT IT WAS ONLY ON 6 APRIL 1981 THAT THE COMMISSION BROUGHT THE MATTER BEFORE THE COURT UNDER THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 169 OF THE TREATY .
7 IT MUST THEREFORE BE HELD THAT BY NOT ADOPTING WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED PERIOD THE PROVISIONS NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 75/440/EEC OF 16 JUNE 1975 , THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM HAS FAILED TO FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE TREATY .
Decision on costs
COSTS
8 ARTICLE 69 ( 2 ) OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE PROVIDES THAT THE UNSUCCESSFUL PARTY SHALL BE ORDERED TO PAY THE COSTS IF THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR . SINCE THE DEFENDANT HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL , IT MUST BE ORDERED TO PAY THE COSTS .
Operative part
ON THOSE GROUNDS ,
THE COURT
HEREBY :
1 . DECLARES THAT BY NOT ADOPTING WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED PERIOD THE PROVISIONS NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 75/440/EEC OF 16 JUNE 1975 CONCERNING THE QUALITY REQUIRED OF SURFACE WATER     INTENDED FOR THE ABSTRACTION OF DRINKING WATER IN THE MEMBER STATES ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 194 , P . 26 ), THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM HAS FAILED TO FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE TREATY ;
2 . ORDERS THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM TO PAY THE COSTS .