The ongoing dispute between Poland and Germany over illegal waste storage has escalated as Poland announced its decision to take legal action against Germany. The Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment disclosed its intent to file a complaint with the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the unauthorized storage of waste by Germany on Polish territory.
This move follows an acknowledgement by the European Commission (EC) of Poland’s stance in the disagreement with Germany concerning the alleged accumulation of waste within Polish borders. The EC, in its statement, highlighted Germany’s failure to comply with the obligation to promptly remove unlawfully transported waste to designated sites in Tuplice and Stary Jawor, as mandated within a 30-day timeframe.
According to Anna Moskwa, the Polish Minister for Climate and Environment, the landfill site in Tuplice currently houses approximately 20,000 tonnes of waste from Germany. Additionally, an estimated 1,100 tonnes have been deposited in Stary Jawor. The ministry’s records indicate that a staggering total of 35,000 tonnes of waste was illicitly transported into Poland between 2015 and 2018, spanning across provinces such as Lubuskie, Dolnoslaskie, Slaskie, and Wielkopolskie.
Moskwa, in an announcement on the X platform, confirmed the imminent submission of the complaint to the CJEU. She, along with Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek, the Minister for European Union Affairs, emphasized the meticulous preparation of the complaint, comprising nearly a thousand pages of substantial evidence supporting Poland’s claims against Germany.
“The comprehensive complaint against Germany concerning the issue of waste is set to be presented to the Court of Justice of the European Union today,” Moskwa declared. “It encompasses almost a thousand pages of meticulously gathered evidence that solidly substantiates our stance.”
This legal step signifies Poland’s determination to address environmental concerns and uphold regulations within the European Union, emphasizing the necessity for cross-border cooperation and adherence to environmental protection protocols among member states.