1 By application lodged at the Court Registry on 29 January 1998, the Commission of the European Communities brought an action under Article 169 of the EC Treaty for a declaration that, by failing to adopt, or by failing to notify, within the prescribed period the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Commission Directive 94/26/EC of 15 June 1994 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 79/196/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres employing certain types of protection (OJ 1994 L 157, p. 33, hereinafter `the Directive'), Ireland had failed to fulfil its obligations under that directive.
2 Article 2(1) of the Directive provides that Member States are to bring into force the necessary provisions in order to comply with the Directive not later than 31 March 1995 and are to inform the Commission thereof forthwith.
3 Since it had not been informed of any measures transposing the Directive by the expiry of the period laid down therein, the Commission on 2 August 1995 sent the Irish Government a letter of formal notice.
4 By letter of 27 February 1996 the Irish Government informed the Commission that no measures necessary to transpose the Directive had yet been adopted.
5 The Commission consequently, on 30 September 1996, sent a reasoned opinion requesting the Irish Government to take the necessary measures to comply with its obligations under the Directive within two months from notification of the opinion.
6 By letter of 27 March 1997 the Irish Government informed the Commission that the measures necessary to transpose the Directive would probably be completed by September 1997.
7 When it did not, however, receive any indication that the transposition procedure had been completed, the Commission brought the present action.
8 Ireland does not dispute the failure to fulfil obligations, but states that the transposition procedure is in progress and should soon be completed.
9 Since the Directive has not been transposed within the period laid down therein, the action brought by the Commission must be held to be well founded.
10 It must therefore be held that, by failing to adopt within the prescribed period the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive, Ireland has failed to fulfil its obligations under that directive.