Implementation of EC law

1
Implementation of EC law

• Regulations, decisions
• directly applicable
• But
• May require further MS regulation
• Therefore comes into force on the 3rd day but
  applies 15 months later
• Create direct effects
• Effect of annulment great

2
Implementation EC law

• Directives
• binding as to result (art 249)
• But
• Precise transposition necessary to achieve
  uniform application over all MSs
• Not every provision
• All provisions creating rights and obligations
  for individuals
• May be implied
• All parts of transposing legislation must be
  binding
• Comm v Germany TA Luft 361/88, 59/89
• All national provisions must be notified
• Comm v Germany Bundesnaturschutzgesetz

3
Enforcement EC env law

• Initially up to MS
• ECJ has provided min requirements
• Proportionate, effective, dissuasive penalties
  (not symbolic)
• MSs must have system of state liability
• Francovich
• Few EC measures contain enforcement methods
• Therefore MS enforcement methods differ
  significantly
• ECJ MSs owe an env result
• Comm v UK Blackpool case (p 52-61)
• Commission may start infringement proceedings

4
Enforcement - direct effect of EC env law

• Van Gend C 26/62
• Must be unconditional, sufficiently precise
• Not always necessary to show that substantive
  rights have been affected
• Kraaijeveld C 72/95
• Primary Treaty law
• Arts. 25, 28, 29, 30, 81, 82, 90

5
Enforcement - direct effect

• Directives
• Once transposed
• Product standards - yes
• Ratti C 148/78
• Minimum harmonisation measures, eg emission
  standards - yes
• Framework directives no
• Lombardia waste case C236/92
• Discretion directives- maybe
• WWF v Bolzano C 435/97
• Pp 61-62, 63-64, 67-71

6
Direct effect

• Direct effect and state liability
• Francovich
• Sufficiently serious breach
• Must confer rights on individual
• Causal link
• No horizontal direct effect
• Indirect effect
• Little third party protection against EC env
  measures

7
Direct effect and criminal law

• Pp 79-87 C 168/95

8
State aid and env

• ECT Arts 87-88
• What is aid?
• Direct grants
• Indirect tax relief, subsidies
• MS must notify Commission (art 88(3))
• MS must show benefit to env
• From public resources
• Only prohibited if distorts trade
• Guiding principle polluter pays art 174(2)

9
State aid and env

• Commission guidelines 2002-2007
• Investment aid
• To comply with new env standards, up to 15 of
  total
• Cartiere della Garda L273/51
• Training/consultancy re increasing env awareness
• Operating aid
• Waste management, energy saving, tax exemptions
• Temporary, degressive
• All limited
• Funds available
• Structural funds (Reg 2052/88)
• Life (Reg 1973/92)
• Cohesion fund (art 161 ECT)

10
Environmental taxes

• art 90 ECT no direct/indirect taxation in XS of
  domestic
• No discrimination
• Comm v Italy C 21/79 re regenerated oil
• Outokumpu Oy C213/96 (pp120-127 Kr)
• Env protection legitimate for tax differentiation
  but no discrimination
• This hinders trade