Credit: European Commission

On Wednesday 9 February 2022, the European Commission (EC) issued a "Letter of Formal Notice" to Luxembourg for failing to comply with its obligations under European Union (EU) law of the updating of, and reporting on, flood hazard maps and flood risk maps (infringement number INFR(2021)2255).

The infringement procedure begins with a request for information (a "Letter of Formal Notice") to the Member State concerned, which must be answered within a specified period, usually two months.

Similar letters were also issued to Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia, asking to update their Flood Hazard Maps and Flood Risk Maps as required by the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) on the assessment and management of flood risks.

The catastrophic floods in Germany and Belgium in July 2021 were the most recent demonstration of the importance of assessing and managing flood risks, to protect lives, livelihoods and the environment, stressed the Commission.

Member States were required to report on the updates they made to their first Flood Hazard Maps and Flood Risk Maps by December 2019 and the deadline for informing the Commission about the review and updating expired in March 2020.

As the Commission did not receive any information on the process from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Romania and Slovakia, the Commission has decided to send letters of formal notice to these Member States. The seven Member States now have two months to respond to the letter and address the shortcomings raised by the Commission. Otherwise the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.

Alarm and Signal Weapons / Firearms

The European Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland and Luxembourg on 9 February 2022 requesting them to report on how EU rules on alarm and signal weapons (Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/69) have been integrated into their national laws

Together with the Firearms Directive (Directive (EU) 2021/555), these rules aim to prevent the possibility of converting alarm and signal weapons, which only discharge blank ammunition or irritants, into lethal firearms.

EU Member States agreed on technical specifications for alarm and signal weapons, including the procedure for checking compliance and the need to exchange information between authorities. EU Member States had to transpose into their national laws the rules on alarm and signal weapons by 17 January 2020.

The European Commission had sent a letter of formal notice to all four Member States in May 2020. Following today's reasoned opinion, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland and Luxembourg now have two months to notify the European Commission of measures taken to ensure full implementation. Otherwise, the Commission may refer them to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The European Commission also sent a reasoned opinion to Bulgaria, Luxembourg and Sweden, requesting them to report on how EU rules on the marking of firearms and of their essential components (Commission Implementing Directive 2019/68) have been integrated into their national laws.

Together with the Firearms Directive (Directive (EU) 2021/555), these rules ensure that firearms placed on the market have a clear, permanent and unique marking, making it easy to trace firearms across the EU and helping to prevent their diversion in the illicit market.

EU Member States had to transpose the rules into their national laws by 17 January 2020. The Commission had sent a letter of formal notice to all three Member States in May 2020. Following today's reasoned opinion, Bulgaria, Luxembourg and Sweden now have two months to notify the Commission of measures taken to ensure full implementation. Otherwise, the Commission may refer them to the Court of Justice of the European Union.