EC gets tough

The European Commission has taken the penultimate step before making a formal complaint to the Court of Justice by issuing a warning to Italy, Portugal, Austria, Luxembourg, Greece and Finland that they have failed to implement EU legislation on marine equipment.

The Commission says that it has decided to send its “reasoned opinions” to these countries for failing to establish national measures for a 2002 Directive laying down quality and testing standards for on-board equipment. Member States had to adopt the legislation before March 2003.