The European Commission on Thursday sent Croatia four reasoned opinions as part of the September Infringements package.

The Commission called on Croatia and several other countries to transpose fully the Single-Use Plastics Directive into their national laws.

Said Directive aims to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products that are used for a very short time on the environment, in particular the marine environment, and on human health. It also promotes the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products and materials.

The member states concerned have two months to respond and take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the cases to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Croatia received the second reason opinion, together with Ireland and Finland, for failure to communicate to the Commission its national measures to transpose EU rules facilitating the use of financial and other information for the fight against certain criminal offenses.

The Directive in questions is aimed at combatting money laundering, terrorist financing, and other serious offenses, by providing easier access to bank account information by designated law enforcement authorities, including Asset Recovery Offices, and by facilitating better cooperation between law enforcement authorities and Financial Intelligence Units. It also facilitates the exchange of information with Europol, the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation.

Member states agreed to transpose this Directive and communicate national transposition measures to the Commission by 1 August 2021. Since Croatia, Finland and Ireland had missed the initial deadline, the Commission sent all three a letter of formal notice in September 2021, and they provided their replies in November 2021.

To date, Croatia, Finland and Ireland have not notified any transposition measures to the Commission. They have two months to comply with the transposition obligation and notify the Commission, or the Commission may decide to refer the cases to the Court of Justice of the EU.

Croatia received the third reasoned opinion, as did Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia, for failing to communicate to the Commission the national measures taken to transpose the Directive on the posting of road transport drivers.

These rules ensure that posted drivers receive the remuneration of the host member state for the period during which they are posted. They also provide for a closed list of administrative requirements for companies posting drivers to another member state, and harmonize inspection measures across the EU.

The deadline for communicating the national measures transposing the Directive was 2 February 2022. The Commission decided to issue reasoned opinions today to the eight member states concerned giving them two months to respond and take the necessary measures.

Croatia received the fourth reasoned opinion, as did Czechia, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain for failing to notify the Commission of their transposition of the Directive on transitional measures for recognizing third-country certificates for inland navigation.

Said Directive sets out transitional measures to ensure that certificates of qualification, service record books and logbooks issued before the end of the Directive’s transposition period remain valid while skilled crew members apply for an EU certificate of qualification, or another certificate recognised as equivalent.

With the exception of the Rhine navigation licenses, these transitional measures do not apply to certificates of qualification, service record books and logbooks issued by third countries that are currently recognized by member states.

In order to ensure a smooth transition to the system for recognizing third-country documents provided for in the Directive, transitional measures are set out for third countries to align their requirements with those laid down in EU rules.

Having failed to receive the necessary transposition measures, the Commission decided to issue reasoned opinions to those six member states, which now have two months to respond and take the necessary measures, or the Commission may decide to refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the EU.