Boete voor Griekenland voor het niet implementeren van EU-regelgeving (en)
IP/09/ 1020
Brussels , 25 June 2009
Financial Penalties for the Hellenic Republic which failed to comply with a Judgment of the European Court of Justice: European Commission is referring again to the Court
The Commission decided today to ask the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to impose a periodic penalty payment and a lump sum on the Hellenic Republic which failed to comply with the ruling of the ECJ on 18 July 2007 in Case C-26/07, Commission v. Hellenic Republic. The judgment of the Court had stated that the Hellenic Republic failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 18 of Directive 2004/80/EC relating to compensation to crime victims which requested Member States to notify to the Commission national measures for the implementation of the Directive.
Directive 2004/80/EC establishes very important rights for victims of violent intentional crimes everywhere in Europe, and it has improved the situation in those Member States which have implemented its provisions since 1 January 2006. Because Greece has failed to do so, the Court of Justice condemned Greece in July 2007 by virtue of Article 226 of the EC Treaty. However to date there has been no notification by Greece to comply with the first judgment of the Court. Accordingly, the Commission has decided again to bring the matter before the Court, this time acting by virtue of Article 228 of the EC Treaty. The purpose of this further phase in the infringement proceeding is to have financial sanctions imposed on the Member State. These sanctions take the form of periodic penalty payments imposed until such time as the Member State puts an end to the infringement and a lump sum payment for the period between the first and the second Court judgments.
Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot, responsible for freedom, security and justice, said: "In a Community governed by the rule of law, it is of utmost importance that judgments of the ECJ are fully complied with by Member States. Otherwise, legal certainty, individual rights – and even more crucially victims rights – could be seriously called into question. Non-compliance with a judgment of the ECJ thus strikes at the heart of the legal order of the Community. Furthermore, as we have recently said about the future Stockholm Programme in the area of freedom, security and justice, we want to promote citizens' rights and provide protection, and this calls for effective and responsible European action in these areas, in view of a smooth and effective implementation of these rights wherever in Europe. This is the purpose of this second referral to the Court today when previous attempts by the Commission failed to convince Greece to take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment of the Court ".
To find out more about Vice President Barrot's work please visit his website: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/barrot/welcome/default_en.htm