CELEX: C2002/131/20
Language: en
Date: 2002-06-01 00:00:00
Title: Case C-122/02: Action brought on 5 April 2002 by the Commission of the European Communities against the Kingdom of Belgium

1.6.2002                 EN                   Official Journal of the European Communities                                    C 131/11
The applicant claims that the Court should:                              Action brought on 5 April 2002 by the Commission
                                                                         of the European Communities against the Kingdom of
                                                                                                      Belgium
(a)   declare that, by failing to take the necessary measures to
      comply with the judgment delivered by the Court of                                         (Case C-122/02)
      Justice on 16 December 1999 in the case of Commission
      v Luxembourg (1), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has
      failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 228(1) of the                               (2002/C 131/20)
      EC Treaty;
(b) order the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to pay to the                    An action against the Kingdom of Belgium was brought before
      Commission a periodic penalty of 9 000 euros per day for           the Court of Justice of the European Communities on 5 April
      each day that it fails to comply with the aforementioned           2002 by the Commission of the European Communities,
      obligations, running from the date of notification of the          represented by Gregorio Valero Jordana and Joelle Adda, acting
      judgment, that being the date of commencement of its               as Agents, with an address for service in Luxembourg.
      non-compliance with its obligations in the present case;
                                                                         The applicant claims that the Court should:
(c)   order the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to pay the costs.
                                                                         —     declare that, by failing hitherto to adopt all the laws,
                                                                               regulations and administrative measures necessary in
                                                                               order to comply fully with Council Directive 1998/83/
                                                                               EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended
                                                                               for human consumption (1), or at any rate by failing fully
                                                                               to inform the Commission thereof, the Kingdom of
Pleas in law and main arguments                                                Belgium has failed to fulfil its obligations under that
                                                                               directive;
                                                                         —     order the Kingdom of Belgium to pay the costs.
Although Article 228 EC does not indicate the period of time
allowed to a Member State to comply with its obligations, the
fact remains that compliance with a judgment delivered against
is must be commenced forthwith and completed as rapidly as               Pleas in law and main arguments
possible. In the present case, all the provisions and measures
necessary in order for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to
bring its legislation into conformity with the Court’s judgment          The time-limit for transposition expired on 25 December
should have been adopted and brought into force long ago; at             2000 but the Kingdom of Belgium has not adopted the
the time when the Commission issued its reasoned opinion,                measures required.
over a year had already elapsed since delivery of the judgment
of the Court.
                                                                         (1) OJ L 330 of 5.12.1998, p. 32.
In the Commission’s view, a periodic penalty of 9 000 euros
per day is appropriate, having regard to the seriousness and
duration of the non-compliance and the need to impose an
effective penalty. The Commission has calculated the amount
of the periodic penalty which it was required to indicate to             Action brought on 8 April 2002 by the Commission of
the Court by using the calculation method defined in its                  the European Communities against the French Republic
communication of 8 January 1997 (2). It has applied a weight-
ing of 10 to take account of the seriousness of the non-
compliance, and a weighting of 1.8 in respect of the duration                                    (Case C-129/02)
thereof.
                                                                                                 (2002/C 131/21)
(1) Case C-138/99, OJ C 63 of 4.3.2000, p. 8.
(2) OJ C 63 of 28.2.1997, p. 2.                                          An action against the French Republic was brought before the
                                                                         Court of Justice of the European Communities on 8 April
                                                                         2002 by the Commission of the European Communities,
                                                                         represented by Gregorio Valero Jordana and Joelle Adda, acting
                                                                         as Agents, with an address for service in Luxembourg.