EC urges Romania to transpose gas supply, industrial emissions, anti-money laundering directives

BUCHAREST - The European Commission said on Thursday it is calling on Romania to fully transpose gas supply security, industrial emissions management and anti-money laundering directives into its national legislation.

As part of its February infringement package, the Commission sent Romania one reasoned opinion and two letters of formal notice concerning pending issues that the country needs to tackle.

The Commission is calling on Romania to correctly comply with certain provisions of the Security of Gas Supply Regulation, in particular with respect to notification obligations and the application of the solidarity mechanism.

The regulation lays down requirements to prevent and respond to potential gas supply disruptions in the EU, according to the EC. In this context, having risk assessments, preventive action plans and emergency plans in place is essential, the EC stressed.

If Romania does not address EU's reasoned opinion in two months, the Commission will refer the case to the Court of Justice of the EU. If the Court rules against a member state, the country must then take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment.

The Commission also decided to send a letter of formal notice to Romania for failing to bring its national legislation into line with the EU Directive on industrial emissions.

The Directive on industrial emissions aims to prevent and reduce harmful industrial emissions across the EU while promoting the use of techniques that reduce pollutant emissions and that are energy and resource efficient.

The Romanian legal system fails to guarantee the implementation of the key objectives of the directive, in particular that installations must only be allowed to operate if they have permits, the Commission stressed. "On the one hand, the Romanian legal system, in its current state, introduces very low and inadequate penalties, which fail to ensure effectiveness, proportionality and dissuasiveness as required by the Directive. On the other hand, the Romanian authorities fail to implement the existing legislation in a coherent manner on an administrative level (e.g. suspend the operation of installations without permits), while the Romanian judiciary fails to enforce the sanctions, nullifying any effectiveness and dissuasiveness," the EC said.

Another letter of formal notice requires Romania to correctly transpose the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive into its national legislation.

According to the Commission, the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing is key to ensuring financial stability and security in Europe.

Romania now has two months to respond to the two letters of formal notice. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.