Waste management

Have there been any cases where EU countries were fined for failing to enforce EU law?

Yes. There has been one case. In the year 2000, Greece was fined over an illegal landfill on one of its islands, Kouroupitos. Domestic waste was being disposed of, as well as used batteries, waste oils and other forms of industrial waste. The Commission had been investigating the case since January 1998. After several warnings and having been taken twice to the European Court of Justice, Greece was fined €20,000 a day until the landfill was closed.

This was also the first time that an EU country was fined under this procedure. In 2001, the fine was terminated because Greece implemented a number of reforms. It closed the landfill at Kouroupitos and adopted a plan for waste management for the region of Chania.