Reports of Cases

1997 I-07411

Subject-matter

Preliminary ruling ─ Conseil d'État, Belgium ─ Interpretation of Arts 5 and 89 of the EC Treaty ─ Power of Member States to make, before the time-limit fixed for the transposition of a directive, provisions which are (a) openly contrary or (b) materially contrary, whilst presenting them as a faithful transposition ─ Interpretation of Art. 1(a) of Council Directive 91/156/EEC amending Council Directive 75/442/EEC on waste ─ Concept of waste ─ Substance referred to in Annex I to the directive and integrated into an industrial production process

Systematic classification scheme

Citations of case-law or legislation

References in grounds of judgment

• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 5 : paragraphs 1, 24, 35
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 5 -L2 : paragraphs 45, 50
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 189 : paragraphs 1, 24, 35
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 189 -L3 : paragraphs 40, 45, 50
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 191 -L2 : paragraph 41
• Directive 75/442 : paragraphs 3, 24, 27, 29, 30, 33
• Directive 75/442 -A01 : paragraph 31
• Directive 75/442 -A01LA : paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 24, 26, 32, 34
• Directive 75/442 -A04 : paragraphs 8, 27, 30
• Directive 75/442 -A08 : paragraph 27
• Directive 75/442 -A09 : paragraphs 27, 29
• Directive 75/442 -A09P1 : paragraph 6
• Directive 75/442 -A10 : paragraphs 6, 27, 29
• Directive 75/442 -A11 : paragraphs 7, 27, 29
• Directive 75/442 -A12 : paragraph 27
• Directive 75/442 -N1 : paragraph 28
• Directive 75/442 -N2LA : paragraphs 6, 27, 28
• Directive 75/442 -N2LB : paragraphs 6, 27, 28
• Directive 78/319 : paragraph 12
• Directive 91/156 : paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 24, 26 - 35, 42, 50
• Directive 91/156 -A02P1L1 : paragraph 9
• Directive 91/156 -A02P1L2 : paragraph 9
• Directive 91/156 -N1 : paragraph 24
• Directive 91/689 : paragraph 12
• Directive 91/689 -A01P3 : paragraph 10
• Directive 91/689 -A01P4 : paragraph 10
• Directive 91/689 -A03P1 : paragraph 11
• Directive 91/689 -A03P2 : paragraph 11
• Directive 91/689 -A11 : paragraph 12
• Directive 94/31 -A01 : paragraph 12
• Decision 94/3 : paragraphs 5, 28
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -51/76 -N22 : paragraph 40
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -152/84 -N48 : paragraph 40
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -359/88 -N12 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -359/88 -N13 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -106/89 -N8 : paragraph 40
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -422/92 -N22 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -422/92 -N23 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -304/94 -N47 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -304/94 -N48 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -72/95 -N55 : paragraph 40
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -129/96 -N58 : paragraph 28
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -129/96 -N59 : paragraph 28
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -129/96 -N60 : paragraph 28
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -129/96 -N61 : paragraph 28

Operative part

• Interprets : Directive 75/442 -A01LA
• Interprets : Directive 91/156
• Interprets : EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 5 -L2
• Interprets : EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 189 -L3

Opinion

• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 5 : points 33, 39, 40, 42, 43, 49, 53
  
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 169 : point 16
  
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 173 : point 32
  
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 189 : points 33, 39, 40, 42, 43, 49
  
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 189 -L3 : point 30
  
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 191 : point 12
  
• EEC Treaty (Rome), Article 191 -L2 : point 30
  
• EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 189 : point 12
  
• EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 191 : point 12
  
• Directive 75/442 : points 54, 60, 61, 69, 81
  
• Directive 75/442 -A01LA : points 60, 84
  
• Directive 75/442 -A04 : point 60
  
• Directive 75/442 -A08 : point 60
  
• Directive 75/442 -A09 : points 60, 62
  
• Directive 75/442 -A10 : points 60, 62
  
• Directive 75/442 -A11 : points 60, 62
  
• Directive 75/442 -A12 : point 60
  
• Directive 75/442 -N1 : points 60, 61
  
• Directive 75/442 -N2LA : points 60, 61
  
• Directive 75/442 -N2LB : points 60, 61
  
• Directive 91/156 : points 28 - 30, 38, 84
  
• Directive 91/689 -A03P1 : point 62
  
• Directive 91/689 -A03P2 : point 62
  
• Decision 94/3 : point 60
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -15/76 : point 31
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -148/78 -N22 : point 14
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -148/78 -N23 : point 14
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -148/78 -N24 : point 14
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -148/78 -N43 : point 15
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -148/78 -N44 : point 15
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -804/79 : point 49
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -77/82 : point 49
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -30/85 -N7 : points 17, 18, 42
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -156/91 : point 53
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N2 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N3 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N4 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N5 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N6 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N7 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N8 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N9 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N10 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -422/92 -N11 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -316/93 -N16 : point 15
  
• General Court - Judgment T -115/94 -N87 : point 32
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N2 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N3 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N4 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N5 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N6 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N7 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N8 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N9 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N10 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N11 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N12 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N13 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N14 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N15 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N16 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N17 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N18 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N50 : point 60
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N53 : point 77
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N54 : point 77
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -304/94 -N56 : point 69
  

Dates

Date of the lodging of the application initiating proceedings

• 23/04/1996

Date of the Opinion

• 24/04/1997

Date of the hearing

Information not available

Date of delivery

18/12/1997

References

Publication in the Official Journal

Application: OJ C 180 from 22.06.1996, p.21

Judgment: OJ C 41 from 07.02.1998, p.7

Name of the parties

Inter-Environnement Wallonie v Région wallonne

Notes on Academic Writings

1. Gratani, Adabella: Obblighi negativi dello Stato in pendenza di termine per la trasposizione di una direttiva, Diritto comunitario e degli scambi internazionali 1997 p.746-750
2. Bernaerts, Inge: Gemeenschapstrouw lidstaten meer inhoud gegeven, Nederlandse staatscourant 1998 nº 8 p.4
3. Buschle, Dirk: Verbindlichkeit von Richtlinien vor Ablauf der Umsetzungsfrist, European Law Reporter 1998 p.5-6
4. Rigaux, Anne: Europe 1998 Février Comm. nº 42 p.10-12
5. Somsen, Han: European Environmental Law Review 1998 p.85-91
6. Van Rossem, A.: Nieuwe ontwikkelingen in het Europese afvalstoffenrecht?, Nederlands tijdschrift voor Europees recht 1998 p.20-23
7. Blockmans, S.F.: Inter-Environnement Wallonie: nieuw stuk in de puzzel van artikel 5 EG, Nederlands tijdschrift voor Europees recht 1998 p.84-89
8. Couvert-Castéra, Olivier: Droit communautaire. Directive communautaire. - Effets pendant la période de transposition. - Obligation des Etats membres de s'abstenir de toute mesure de nature à compromettre le résultat prescrit (articles 5, deuxième alinéa, et 189, troisième alinéa, du traité CEE)., L'actualité juridique ; droit administratif 1998 p.452-457
9. Weiß, Wolfgang: Zur Wirkung von Richtlinien vor Ablauf der Umsetzungsfrist, Deutsches Verwaltungsblatt 1998 p.568-575
10. Keppenne, Jean-Paul: Etat des lieux après l'arrêt "Inter-environnement Wallonie" de la Cour de Justice des Communautés européennes du 18 décembre 1997, Administration publique 1998 p.283-302
11. Mehdi, Rostane: Chronique de jurisprudence du Tribunal et de la Cour de justice des Communautés européennes, Journal du droit international 1998 p.475-480
12. Robert, Jacques-Henri: Infractions relevant du droit de l'environnement et de l'urbanisme. Déchets, Revue de science criminelle et de droit pénal comparé 1998 p.331-332
13. Van der Burg, F.H.: Administratiefrechtelijke beslissingen ; Rechtspraak bestuursrecht 1998 nº 192
14. Bianchi, Roberta: Per la Corte di giustizia il produttore recupera il suo rifiuto ..., Ambiente: consulenza e pratica per l'impresa 1998 p.351-354
15. Van Rossem ; Jans, J.H.: Milieu en recht 1998 Jur. p.182-183
16. González Alonso, Luis N.: Las obligaciones de los Estados miembros durante el plazo de transposición de las directivas, Revista de Derecho Comunitario Europeo 1998 p.243-259
17. Pellisé, Cristina: Jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia de las Comunidades Europeas, Revista Jurídica de Catalunya 1998 p.610-612
18. Van Calster, Geert: Court Clarifies Community Definition of Waste, European Law Review 1998 p.385-389
19. Levis, Lara: Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 1998 p.212-213
20. Tomasevic, Daniel M.: La situation des particuliers durant le délai de transposition des directives européennes, Journal des tribunaux / droit européen 1998 p.184-186
21. Oddenino, Alberto: Il diritto dell'economia 1998 p.444-448
22. Timmermans, C.W.A.: S.E.W. ; Sociaal-economische wetgeving 1998 p.476-478
23. Moura e Silva, Miguel: Limites decorrentes do artigo 5º do Tratado de Roma ao exercício pelos Estados Membros de poderes próprios: análise da recente jurisprudência do Tribunal de Justiça, Revista Jurídica AAFDL 1998 p.485-491
24. Urcelay Lecue, Maria Cruz: Vulneración del contenido de una directiva en plazo de transposición: Análisis de la sentencia de 18 de diciembre de 1997, Asunto C-129/96, Noticias de la Unión Europea 2000 nº 182 p.25-39
25. Van Calster, Geert: The Columbia Journal of European Law 2000 p.124-132
26. Jans, J.H.: De twilight zone van richtlijnen, Het recht van de Europese Unie in 50 klassieke arresten (Ed. Boom Juridische Uitgevers - Den Haag) 2010 p.275-280

Procedural Analysis Information

Source of the question referred for a preliminary ruling

Conseil d'État - Belgium

Subject-matter

• Approximation of laws
  
• Environment
  
• - Waste
  
• Principles, objectives and tasks of the Treaties
  
• Provisions governing the institutions
  

Provisions of national law referred to

Arrêté de l'Exécutif régional wallon 09/04/1992, art. 5, par. 1

Provisions of international law referred to

Information not available

Procedure and result

• Reference for a preliminary ruling
  

Formation of the Court

Cour plénière (Cour)

Judge-Rapporteur

Sevón

Advocate General

Jacobs

Language(s) of the Case

• French
  

Language(s) of the Opinion

• English