Urban wastewater costs Italy a hefty fine: 10 million plus 13.7 million for each six-month delay

Brussels -Italy was given a hefty fine for failing to treat and adequately manage urban wastewater. It must pay a lump sum of €10 million plus a penalty of €13.7 million for each six-month delay in coming into compliance. The six-month fine will not be retroactive. It will start from now, the moment of the ruling, and will apply automatically until compliance with the April 10, 2014 judgment on the same issue and for the same reason.

The Court of Justice’s ruling is the culmination of an ultra-decade-long history. Italy, so far, has failed to meet its obligations under the urban wastewater treatment directive.  A non-compliance situation was identified in 2014, which has never been resolved despite the time allowed to remedy it. The European Commission referred Italy again on June 1, 2023, precisely because patience in Brussels had run out, and today’s (March 27) pronouncement resulted from this new call for compliance.

The progress recorded is not sufficient. Delays and lack of adequate management remain in the urban agglomerations of Castellammare del Golfo, Cinisi, Terrasini (Sicily), and Courmayeur (Aosta Valley). The Luxembourg judges point out that the lack of urban wastewater treatment “constitutes damage to the environment and must be regarded as particularly serious.” Admittedly, this harm appears to have “diminished thanks to the significant reduction in the number of agglomerations” not in compliance, down from the 41 contested in 2014 to four. However, the CJEU argues, “damage to the environment, albeit less significant, nevertheless persists, particularly since the discharges from the four non-compliant agglomerations flow into sensitive areas.”