Too busy to do their job
The European Commission decided to pursue infringement procedures against Romania -already second stage - for the energy sector.
The main reason is that the Romanian Parliament failed to pass an emergency government ordinance, that was supposed to assure the compliance of Romanian legislation to the EU Directives 2005/89 and 2003/54. The deadline was in February 2008, the Finance Ministry did sent for deliberation a draft legislation in this regard and also urged the Parliament to pass the governmental emergency ordinance, but Romanian Parliament failed to approve it in due time.
Romania can still avoid a trial, if the required legislation would be adopted.
Unfortunately, the campaign already started, so there is a risk of overlooking what’s really important.
Posted in European Legislation, Romanian, News
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
The question is: What will the Commission do?
Romania is not the first country that delays the implementation of EC legislation…
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Hello, Julien.
Sure, Romania is not the first country to fail in timely implementing EC legislation, and the nonconformity is not as bad as those of other important Member States, but it is a first for us. Probably the Romanian Parliament will urge the approval.
If not, according to the infrigement procedure (see here: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/fundamental_rights/legis/lginfringe_en.htm), we may face a trial and/or a fine:
“If the procedure is not settled during the preliminary stages of the infringement procedure process, and the European Commission is of the reasoned opinion that a Member State is still in breach of Community law, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) will be called on to pronounce on the matter. If the ECJ upholds the case, it may impose a financial penalty on the Member State in question under article 228 EC, if the Member State does not comply with the judgment.”
Hopefully, we’ll not come to this.