EU warns nine countries over emission

The European Commission said on Tuesday it was sending written warnings to nine member states for failing to issue emissions permits on time.

"The European Commission is sending nine member states a first written warning for failing to issue its industrial permits in line with the integrated pollution prevention and control," the EU executive said in a statement.

The nine countries are Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Meanwhile, Greece received a warning from the European Commission on Tuesday for what the EU's executive arm called violations of UN greenhouse gas reporting rules that underpin a fight against global warming.

"We are sending a first warning to Greece over its failures," a Commission official told Reuters.

A second warning by the EU executive could result in the case being brought to the European Court of Justice - Europe's top court, with potentially hefty fines for Greece.

Greece was suspended last month from UN carbon trading after Athens failed to maintain a proper national system for recording greenhouse gas emissions, key to ensuring compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol seeks to slow temperature rises that could bring more floods, droughts, heat waves and rising seas.

It imposes a cap on emissions of greenhouse gas by some 37 industrial countries but allows them to meet their targets by paying for emissions cuts elsewhere, such as in the developing world.