Ten member states accused of breaking EU law

Commission says infringements were in the areas of travel, financial services and the environment.

The European Commission today announced that it is referring ten member states to the European Court of Justice for failing to correctly implement EU law.

In the latest round of decisions on infringement proceedings, the Commission has referred the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain to the court for failing to implement EU rules on value-added taxation for travel agents. The Commission believes that these member states incorrectly transposed special provisions for travel agents into national law, causing distortions of competition in the sector.

Sweden has also been referred to the court for incorrectly transposing an EU directive on the distance marketing of consumer financial services.

The Commission has taken Greece to court for failing to protect Lake Koroneia, an important wetland in the Thessaloniki region. The lake has been severely affected by pollution.

The court can fine member states if they fail to bring their national laws into line with EU legislation.

As well as referring the ten member states to the court, the Commission started infringement proceedings in 215 other cases involving all 27 member states.