In a judgment delivered on 25 July, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) condemned Spain for its delay in implementing the 1991 directive on urban wastewater treatment.
The country must pay a lump sum fine of 12 million euros, as well as a penalty of 11 million euros per semester of delay until it complies with the directive.
A delay of more than 18 years
The CJEU had already noted this failure in a first judgment issued in 2011. Spain had until 31 July 2013 to comply with the decision. However, it did not.
In response to this inaction, the European Commission filed a new infringement procedure in 2017.
Nine large urban areas still not equipped
Nine urban areas with more than 15,000 inhabitants still did not have adequate urban wastewater collection and treatment systems at that time.
According to the Spanish authorities, full implementation of the 2011 ruling was not expected before 2019, which means an 18-year delay compared to the deadline set by the directive: 31 December 2000.
An aggravating circumstance noted by the Court
The Court considered that the particularly long duration of the infringement constituted an aggravating circumstance. Spain therefore did not merely fail to implement the directive: it did so persistently, despite repeated warnings.
Rachida Boughriet, journalist
