In its statement, the Ministry of Climate informs that in July 2023 the Polish government lodged a complaint with the European Commission on the German authorities for their inactivity to dispose of waste that was illegally located in Poland. The complaint submitted by Poland afraid a full of 35 1000 tonnes of waste which went to our country in 2015-2018. They are located in: Tuplicach, Stary Jawor, Sobolev, Sobolev, Gliwice, Sarbia, Bzów, Babinie and Wielkapolskie.
The proceeding of the parties took place in September in Brussels, where arguments and answers to the European Commission's questions were raised. In October, the Commission concluded that Poland was right in the dispute with Germany.
Anna Moscow, Minister of Climate and Environment, on the X platform, makes the content available on an ongoing basis.
The Germans are to take illegally stored garbage in Poland! The European Commission agrees with Poland in the dispute with Germany. We request that the Berlin authorities receive the waste in the coming days. If they do not do so immediately, the next step is to apply to the EUSF. pic.twitter.com/c41y7MU1xg
— Anna Moscow (@moskwa_anna) October 18, 2023
On the website of the Ministry of Climate and Environment we read:
"Despite the first assurances made in writing to the European Commission, the national Republic of Germany has shown no activity to guarantee the reception of waste. As a result, the case remains unresolved, and as a result, falling waste causes a continuous threat to the environment. Poland so decided to submit to the TEU. The allegations and arguments put forward in the complaint take into account the conclusions of the analysis of the case submitted by the European Commission in its reasoned opinion in October 2023."
Together with @Szsz_velSek We have prepared a complete complaint to the TEU on Germany about waste. That's almost a 1000 pages of papers and hard evidence. Today, the complaint will be sent to the Court.
— Anna Moscow (@moskwa_anna) November 27, 2023
Higher penalties for environmental crime
The Ministry of Climate and Environment recalls that stricter penalties have now been introduced for environmental damage. Changes in law aim to combat environmental crime and include modifications to the Criminal Code and the Code of Offence.
In the event of illegal global transport of hazardous waste, the punishment is up to 12 years. If a individual is convicted of intentional crime against the environment, the court must impose a charge of between PLN 10 1000 and PLN 10 million for the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW). An crucial novelty is the removal of the liability request of collective entities, specified as companies, erstwhile a natural individual has previously been convicted of an environmental offence. The most visible effect of the changes is to increase the maximum fine for littering public places to PLN 5000.
