The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ordered Bulgaria to pay a lump sum penalty of EUR 1.9 million concerning the delayed implementation of the European Electronic Tolling Service (EETS) Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/520). According to a recent press release, the CJEU determined that Bulgaria failed to meet its obligations under the relevant directive by not submitting the necessary national legislative measures to the European Commission by the stipulated deadline of October 19, 2021. This specific directive is intended to ensure the interoperability of electronic road toll systems across the European Union and to streamline the cross-border exchange of information in instances of unpaid road charges.
While Bulgarian authorities eventually adopted and completed parts of the required legislation, the court ruled on the initial failure to comply. During the proceedings, the European Commission withdrew its request for ongoing periodic penalty payments but maintained its claim for a fixed lump sum penalty. The CJEU rejected Bulgaria’s defense arguments, which cited political instability and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The judgment emphasized that, according to established EU law, a Member State cannot use internal difficulties to justify non-compliance with its obligations. The court noted that invoking force majeure requires extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances, which were not established in this case. Consequently, the CJEU imposed the financial penalty on Bulgaria.
Topics: #directive #bulgaria #european
What specific actions must Bulgaria take to ensure full compliance with the EETS Directive going forward?