Press Release: Environment: Commission takes action against nine Member States over missing industrial permits

The European Commission took six Member States to the European Court of Justice for failing to issue new or updated permits for over 1,500 industrial installations operating there. The six are Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. The Commission is also sending first written warnings to Austria, France and Sweden over a further 1,700 installations operating without permits. In all cases the permits should have been issued by 30 October 2007.