1 By application lodged at the Court Registry on 20 July 1992, the Commission brought an action under Article 169 of the EEC Treaty for a declaration that, by failing to adopt the laws, regulations and administrative measures needed to comply with Council Directive 87/540/EEC of 9 November 1987 on access to the occupation of carrier of goods by waterway in national and international transport and on the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications for this occupation (OJ 1987 L 322, p. 20), the Federal Republic of Germany has failed to fulfil its obligations under the EEC Treaty.
2 Under Article 11 of the directive, "Member States shall bring into force the measures necessary to comply with this directive by 30 June 1988. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof."
3 The Commission claims that the Federal Republic of Germany failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 11 of the directive in conjunction with the third paragraph of Article 189 and Article 5 of the Treaty by not adopting the measures needed to transpose the directive into national law.
4 The German government does not deny that on the expiry of the time-limit set by that directive, it had not yet transposed the latter into national law. However, it points out that the legislative procedure has almost been completed.
5 Since the directive was not implemented within the time-limit set, the infringement must be established in the terms of the form of order sought by the Commission.