site.btaEuropean Commission Closes Infringement Procedure against Bulgaria Concerning Dangerous Substances

European Commission Closes Infringement Procedure against Bulgaria Concerning Dangerous Substances

Sofia, October 4 (BTA) - The European Commission has decided to close an infringement procedure for Bulgaria's failure to transpose Directive 2012/18/EU into its national legislation in a timely manner. The directive concerns the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances. The decision to close the infringement procedure is dated September 29, the Environment and Water Ministry in Sofia reported on Tuesday.

The procedure started in July 2015. Early in 2016 Bulgaria provided additional information letting the European Commission know that Directive 2012/18/EU had been transposed entirely into national legislation through amendments and supplements to the Environmental Protection Act. The country also adopted an ordinance on preventing major accidents involving dangerous substances and mitigating the effects of such accidents, which means that Bulgaria has honoured its commitments, the Environment and Water Ministry recalled.

The resulting legal framework ensures proper implementation of EU legislation on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances.