Spain's non-compliance with Urban Waste Water Directive
9.3.2017
Question for written answer E-001605-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Josu Juaristi Abaunz (GUE/NGL)
On 17 November 2016, the Commission brought Spain before the Court of Justice of the European Union for the second time for breaching an initial judgment passed on 14 April 2011 (case C-343/10) on the country’s failure to treat urban waste water properly.
The Court of Justice of the EU ruled that Spanish authorities were violating Council Directive 91/271/CCE by not adequately collecting and treating the urban waste water discharged by 37 agglomerations. Five years later, this matter remains unresolved in 17 of the 37 agglomerations covered by the judgment, with consequences for 1 400 000 people.
Spain remains behind in its application of the rules, and information provided by the Spanish authorities indicates that treatment systems in place in urban areas are generally inadequate. None of the 17 agglomerations in question are in the Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country or Navarra, but several urban areas in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country do fall short of compliance with legislation on the treatment of urban waste water:
- —Alto Nervión: with a population of more than 30 000 people (19 000 of whom live in Llodio).
- —Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve the towns on its western boundary discharge untreated waste water directly into the Reserve
- —Pasai Donibane.
- —Ermua-Mallabia suburbs.
1. Is the Commission aware of the situation in these four urban areas?
2. Has it taken any steps to penalise agglomerations in the Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country and Navarra?