Cybercrime

In the fight against cybercrime, the Commission calls on Hungary, Latvia and Malta to comply with the EU Cybercrime Directive and has launched infringement proceedings against the three countries.

The directive is an essential part of the legal framework for combating cybercrime and obliges them to strengthen national legislation on cybercrime and to introduce stricter criminal sanctions, including for large-scale cyber-attacks.

To ensure better co-operation between national authorities, a contact person should be designated to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Commission considers that Hungary, Latvia and Malta have incorrectly transposed their national law into the law set out in the Directive, in particular the provisions on individual laws, the necessary penalties and jurisdiction. Hungary, Latvia and Malta have two months to respond to the Commission’s arguments. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion.

Fight against fraud

In the fight against fraud, Hungary’s letter to Estonia, Malta and the Netherlands is being sent to the Commission to transpose the rules on the fight against fraud affecting the EU budget.

The Commission has today decided to send a letter of formal notice to Estonia, Hungary, Malta and the Netherlands for failing to transpose the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests by criminal law. EU rules. These rules, which the Commission is comprehensive anti-fraud strategy protect the EU budget by harmonizing definitions, sanctions, jurisdiction rules and limitation periods for fraud and other contracts affecting the EU’s financial interests.

The problems identified relate mainly to the provisions of the Directive which define the concept of rights (fraud, corruption and dishonesty) as well as sanctions and limitation periods. To that European Public Prosecutor’s Office effective investigation and prosecution, and the rules must be properly complied with. The period within which the directive had to be transposed expired on 6 July 2019. The four members have two months to respond to the Commission’s arguments. If it does not receive a satisfactory answer, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.

Renewable energy

In the field of renewable energy, the Commission has called on Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Romania to transpose the Renewable Energy Directive. This directive provides a legal framework for the development of renewable energy in the EU in the fields of electricity, heating and cooling and transport.

It sets a mandatory renewable energy target of at least 32% by 2030 and includes ensuring that support for renewable energy is cost-effective and simplifies administrative procedures for renewable energy projects. It will also facilitate the participation of citizens in the energy transition through their own consumption and energy communities, and set specific targets for increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the heating and cooling sector and the transport sector by 2030. energy reinforces the requirements to ensure the sustainability of bioenergy.

The period within which the directive had to be transposed expired on 30 June 2021. In July 2021, the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to those concerned. Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Romania have not yet provided the Commission with accurate information on which national provisions transpose certain provisions of the Directive; Cyprus, Greece, Ireland and Luxembourg have only partially declared national compliance with the Directive. They have two months to comply with their transposition obligation and to notify the Commission. Failing this, the Commission may refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Energy performance of buildings

The Commission identified shortcomings in this area with Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania and Slovenia and called for the transposition of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

The directive introduced new elements to strengthen the training framework, such as minimum energy performance requirements for new buildings, electricity and charging stations, and new rules for the inspection of heating and technology systems.

The period within which the directive had to be transposed expired on 10 March 2020. In May 2020, the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to these individuals as they had not notified full transposition of the Directive. Following an examination of the notified national transposition measures, the Commission considers that transposition into national law is not always complete for Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania and Slovenia. They have two months to comply with their transposition obligation and to notify the Commission. Failing this, the Commission may refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Road traffic

Commission calls on Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Ireland, Poland and Portugal to transpose European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) legislation

EETS is a tolling system for which new road users pay under a subscription contract, concludes the contract with a single service provider and requires an on-board unit covering all members to operate. The directive has two objectives: to ensure the interoperability of electronic toll systems and to use the cross-border exchange of information on non-payment of tolls. The deadline for transposition of the Directive is 19 October 2021 and the seven members concerned have not yet notified the Commission of the transposition measures. Today’s reasoned opinions follow 19 letters sent by the Community in November 2021 on the same subject. If no satisfactory answer is given within two months, the Commission shall decide to refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

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