Judgment of the Court (Tenth Chamber) of 15 March 2017.European Commission v Kingdom of Spain.Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Environment — Directive 2008/98/EC — Articles 13 and 15 — Waste management — Protection of human health and the environment.Case C-563/15.

Judgment // 15/03/2017 // 4 min read
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Judgment of the Court (Tenth Chamber) of 15 March 2017 — Commission v Spain

(Case C‑563/15) ( 1 )

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Environment — Directive 2008/98/EC — Articles 13 and 15 — Waste management — Protection of human health and the environment)

  1. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations—Proof of failure—Burden of proof on Commission—Production of evidence showing failure—Incumbent on Member State concerned to refute evidence

(Art. 258 TFEU)

(see paras 20, 23)

  1. Member States—Obligations—Supervisory tasks assigned to the Commission—Duty of the Member States—Cooperation with inquiries relating to the application of directives—Verification and information requirement

(Arts 4 (3) TEU and 17(1) TEU; European Parliament and Council Directive 2008/98)

(see paras 21, 22, 24)

  1. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations—Examination of the merits by the Court—Situation to be taken into consideration—Situation on expiry of the period laid down in the reasoned opinion

(Art. 258 TFEU)

(see paras 25, 26, 29-31)

  1. Environment—Waste—Directive 2008/98—Obligation on Member States to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of—Obligation to ensure waste management without endangering human health or harming the environment—Persistence of a non-compliant situation over a protracted period—Failure to fulfil obligations

(European Parliament and Council Directive 2008/98, Arts 4, 13 and 15 (1))

(see paras 27, 28, 34, 39-45)

  1. Member States—Obligations—Implementation of directives—Failure to fulfil obligations—National system pleaded as justification—Not permissible

(Art. 258 TFEU)

(see para. 32)

Operative part

The Court:

  1. Declares that, by failing to adopt, with regard to the landfills of Torremolinos (Malaga), Torrent de S’Estret (Andratx, Mallorca), Hoya de la Yegua de Arriba (Yaiza, Lanzarote), Barranco de Butihondo (Pájara, Fuerteventura), La Laguna-Tiscamanita (Tuineje, Fuerteventura), Lomo Blanco (Antigua, Fuerteventura), Montaña de Amagro (Galdar, Gran Canaria), Franja Costera de Botija (Galdar, Gran Canaria), Cueva Lapa (Galdar, Gran Canaria), La Colmena (Santiago del Teide, Tenerife), Montaña Los Giles (La Laguna, Tenerife), Las Rosas (Güimar, Tenerife), Barranco de Tejina (Guía de Isora, Tenerife), Llano de Ifara (Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife), Barranco del Carmen (Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma), Barranco Jurado (Tijarafe, La Palma), Montaña Negra (Puntagorda, La Palma), Lomo Alto (Fuencaliente, La Palma), Arure/Llano Grande (Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera), El Palmar — Taguluche (Hermigua, La Gomera), Paraje de Juan Barba (Alajeró, La Gomera), El Altito (Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera), Punta Sardina (Agulo, La Gomera), Los Llanillos (La Frontera, El Hierro), Faro de Orchilla (La Frontera, El Hierro), Montaña del Tesoro (Valverde, El Hierro), Arbancón (Castilla-La Mancha), Galve de Sorbe (Castilla-La Mancha), Hiendelaencina (Castilla-La Mancha), Tamajón (Castilla-La Mancha), El Casar (Castilla-La Mancha), Cardeñosa (Ávila), Miranda de Ebro (Burgos), Poza de la Sal (Burgos), Acebedo (León), Bustillo del Páramo (León), Cármenes (León), Gradefes (León), de Noceda del Bierzo (León), San Millán de los Caballeros (León), Santa María del Páramo (León), Villaornate y Castro (León), Cevico de La Torre (Palencia), Palencia (Palencia), Ahigal de los Aceiteros (Salaman), d’Alaraz (Salamanca), de Calvarrasa de Abajo (Salamanca), de Hinojosa de Duero (Salamanca), Machacón (Salamanca), Palaciosrubios (Salamanca), Peñaranda de Bracamonte (Salamanca), de Salmoral (Salamanca), Tordillos (Salamanca), Basardilla (Segovia), Cabezuela (Segovia), Almaraz del Duero (Zamora), Cañizal (Zamora), Casaseca de las Chanas (Zamora), La Serratilla (Abanilla), Las Rellanas (Santomera) and El Labradorcico (Águilas), the necessary measures to ensure that waste management is carried out without endangering human health, without harming the environment and, in particular without risk to water, air, soil, animals or plants, and that the waste disposed of are treated by the municipalities themselves or by a dealer, an establishment or undertaking which carries out waste treatment operations or arranged by a private or public waste collector in accordance with Articles 4 and 13 of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives, the Kingdom of Spain has failed to fulfil its obligations under Articles 13 and 15(1) of that directive.

  2. Orders the Kingdom of Spain to bear the costs.

( 1 ) OJ C 16, 18.1.2016.

Environment