WRITTEN QUESTION E-3296/01 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Inadequate checks on sewage sludge.
Date: 2001-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: action for failure to fulfil an obligation, complaint to the Commission, exchange of information, national implementing measure, pollution from agricultural sources, sewage sludge, waste management

C 160 E/92

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

Reply

(25/26 March 2002)

The Council would draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the replies given during Question Time to
Question H-642/01 put by Miguel Martinez Martinez and Question H-648/01 by Francisca Sauquillo Pérez
del Arco at the September 2001 part-session, to Question H-807/01 put by Miguel Martinez Martinez at
the November 2001 part-session, and to Question H-890/01 put by Laura Gonzales Alvarez at the
December 2001 plenary part-session, all of which were on the same subject.

(2002/C 160 E/121)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3296/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 November 2001)

Subject: Inadequate checks on sewage sludge

In November 2000, the Commission addressed a formal complaint to Sweden and four other Member
States for inadequate checks on sewage sludge.

In its complaint, the Commission noted that the five countries had not complied with the requirements to
check the quality of sewage sludge used in agriculture. The five Member States were given 60 days to
answer the complaint.

Can the Commission report on the progress of this matter? Have the Member States now undertaken to
enter data on handling and checks in a register forwarded to the Commission?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2002)

As the Honourable Member states,
letters of formal notice were dispatched to several Member States
during 2000 for infringements of the Sewage Sludge Directive 86/278/EEC (1). The Member States in
question are Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Portugal and Sweden (2). The infringements concerned failure
to provide adequate information on sewage sludge disposal and to ensure an adequate system of records.
These cases were initiated by the Commission on its own initiative and without any individual complaints
having been received regarding these issues.

Following replies from the Member States in question, infringements were considered to remain in some
cases and in others further information was required in order for the Commission to finalize its
assessment. The Commission decided to send reasoned opinions to Belgium, Italy and Austria, during this
year (3).

The Commission has decided to close the cases concerning Ireland, Portugal and Sweden following the
compliance by those Member States with the relevant requirements of the Sewage Sludge Directive
86/278/EEC. Regarding the other Member States, either investigations are being pursued or actions will be
taken in which case the decision will be made public by the Commission by the issuing of a press release.

(1) Council Directive 86/278/EEC of 12 June 1986 on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil,

when sewage sludge is used in agriculture OJ L 181, 4.7.1986.

(2) Press release of the Commission of 14.11.2000 (IP/00/1292).
(3) Press releases of the Commission of 6.4.2001 (IP/01/521) and 24.7.2001 (IP/01/1064).