European Court of Justice advocate general Juliane Kokott has called for the imposition of stiff fines to Greece after repeatedly failing to comply with European waste management regulations. In a recommendation made to the court this week, Kokott said that Greece should pay a fixed fine of 22 million euros and 54,450 euros for every day that it fails to shut down the remaining 60-70 illegal landfills which continue to operate in the country. Greece is being hauled back to the European Court of Justice by the European Commission for failing to implement an earlier ruling on illegal landfills. According to the Commission, in 2005 the Court ruled that Greece was not taking sufficient measures to close down and rehabilitate the remaining illegal landfills that are still operating across the country. The Commission pointed out that according to the initial calendar, all illegal landfills should have been closed and rehabilitated by the end of 2008. A letter of formal notice under article 260 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union was sent in April 2009, reminding Greece of its obligations. The closure of illegal landfills is being delayed by the lack of alternative waste treatment facilities – a situation which the Commission said may become even worse since the Fyli landfill, which receives 90% Athens’ waste, is facing imminent saturation, and will have reached full capacity by the end of 2014.
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