The European Commission decided on Thursday to refer Cyprus and Greece to the Court of Justice of the European Union over the incorrect application of the Landfill Directive and the Waste Framework Directive. According to the Commission, 21% of the waste produced in Cyprus ends up in landfills without prior treatment.
The legal framework
The Landfill Directive sets standards for landfill sites in order to prevent adverse effects on human health, water, soil and air. Under the directive, member states must take measures to ensure that only waste that has been treated is landfilled.
Treatment capacity for mixed municipal waste before landfilling is inadequate in both Cyprus and Greece, it said.
The Waste Framework Directive aims to prevent or reduce the production of waste. Under the directive, member states must recover and dispose of waste in a way that does not endanger human health and the environment. The directive prohibits the abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled disposal of waste.
The infringement procedure against Cyprus
The Commission sent Cyprus a letter of formal notice in December 2021 and a reasoned opinion in December 2024. These concerned two failures:
- the failure to subject waste to appropriate treatment before landfilling;
- the failure to establish an integrated and adequate network of waste management installations using the best available techniques.
The Commission's findings
After examining the reply submitted by the Cypriot authorities and the available information, the Commission concluded that 21% of the waste produced in Cyprus is landfilled without prior treatment.
The Commission also concluded that, in both countries, the capacity of waste treatment facilities before landfilling is insufficient to treat mixed municipal waste.
It further considers that the efforts made by the Cypriot and Greek authorities to address the shortcomings are insufficient. For this reason, it is referring Cyprus and Greece to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
