Language of document :

Action brought on 20 March 2019 — European Commission v Republic of Cyprus

(Case C-248/19)

Language of the case: Greek

Parties

Applicant: European Commission (represented by: D. Τriantaphyllou and E. Manhaeve, acting as Agents)

Defendant: Republic of Cyprus.

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the Court should:

Declare that the Republic of Cyprus, by failing to:

provide a collecting system for 31 agglomerations (Αradippou, Ipsonas, Dali, Varoklini, Deryneia, Sotira, Xylophagou, Pervolia, Colosseo, Poli Chrysochous, Livadia, Dromolaxia, Pera Chorio-Nisou, Liopetri, Avgorou, Paliometokhos, Kiti, Frenaros, Ormidia, Kokkinotrimithia, Trachoni, Episkopi, Xylotympou, Pano Pelemidia, Pyla, Lympia, Parekklissia, Kakopetria, Achna, Meneu and Pyrgos), as required by Article 3 of and by Annex I(A) to the Directive;

ensure for those same agglomerations that the waste water which enters the collecting systems is subject to secondary or equivalent treatment before discharge, as required by Articles 4, 10 and 15 of and by Annexes I.B and I.D to the Directive,

failed to fulfil its obligations under Articles 3, 4, 10, 15 and Annex I to Directive 91/271/EEC 1 concerning urban waste-water treatment.

order the Republic of Cyprus to pay the costs.

Pleas in law and main arguments

1.    In the absence of a comprehensive and operational collecting system, the Republic of Cyprus failed to observe the time limit of 31.12.2012 of Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste-water treatment (as extended by the Treaty of Accession of Cyprus to the European Union) for four agglomerations with populations above 10 000 inhabitants with respect to collection (Article 2) and, consequently, the secondary treatment of waste water (Article 4) and the infrastructure and monitoring of the latter (Articles 10 and 15).

2.    In the absence of a comprehensive and operational collecting system, the Republic of Cyprus failed to observe the time limit of 31.12.2012 of Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste-water treatment (as extended by the Treaty of Accession of Cyprus to the European Union) for agglomerations with a population of 2 000-10 000 inhabitants with respect to collection (Article 2) and, consequently, the secondary treatment of waste water (Article 4) and the infrastructure and monitoring of the latter (Articles 10 and 15).

____________

1 Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment.