Press Release: Maritime safety: Commission sends reasoned opinions to eight Member States

The European Commission sent reasoned opinions on 11 September 2003 to Italy, Portugal, Austria, Luxembourg, Greece, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands. for failing to communicate national measures transposing two key maritime safety directives. In both cases, Member States had to adopt the necessary legislation before 23 July 2003 and had, following the sinking of the Prestige in November 2002, committed themselves to implement these new, more stringent rules, ahead of schedule. The issue of the reasoned opinions is a last step before a formal complaint to the European Court of Justice.