The European Commission urges Cyprus to take into account the EU community specifications for safety standards, and the community directive for environmental assessment in shaping national legislation. In addition, the EU commission addressed to Cyprus a letter of formal notice, regarding our inadequate definition of the Natura 2000 network.
Cyprus is already in trouble for multiple infringements of nature conservation laws, as well as laws relating to waste, water resource and environmental noise management and the limitation of industrial remissions.
Europe’s interests lie mainly in limiting the granting of permissions for contruction and land development before the assessment of the environmental impact of the projects.
Ireland and Spain have also been sent letters ‘of formal notice and reasoned opinion’: the three states must take the necessary measures stated in the letters of formal notice, otherwise, they may be referred to the European Court of Justice.
In Cyprus, the procedure for public presentation, hearings and consultation around the EU harmonisation bill was completed by the Environment Department in July 2016. However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment submitted the draft law to the Parliamentary Committee on the Environment on 6/10/2017, five months after the deadline given for the harmonization process and almost three months after the European Commission’s Letter of Formal Notice.
