European Commission Launches New Infringement Procedures

These eight countries have reportedly still not properly incorporated a 2014 EU Directive on the admission of foreign seasonal workers into their national laws. Incidentally, new agreements on this were made in Brussels just last week.

In April, the Commission had already sent letters of formal notice to ten other EU countries regarding this issue. The Netherlands and the seven other countries now have two months to take measures. If they fail to do so, the infringement procedure can proceed to the next stage: a reasoned opinion, which is a formal request to comply with EU law. 

The case can then be referred to the Court of Justice, where member states may face fines. 

Brussels initiates dozens of such procedures every quarter: it is their formal process to ensure control over the implementation of European laws and regulations. The vast majority of infringement cases are resolved through administrative consultations or sometimes with minor textual amendments. Only in a few cases is a judicial procedure actually initiated.

This time, the Netherlands was also addressed regarding the way the waste directive on reuse and collection is allegedly not correctly implemented, as well as the directive on goods transport in rented small trucks. Other countries were contacted about various other alleged or actual shortcomings.