November 3 (SeeNews) - The European Commission (EC) said it sent a couple of reasoned opinions to Croatia, asking it to correctly enact into national law the EU rules on the presumption of innocence and on package travel rights.
Concerning fair trial, the national measures transposed by Croatia, and three other member states, constitute only a partial transposition of the EU rules on strengthening the presumption of innocence and the right to be present at the trial in criminal proceedings, the Commission said last week in its October infringement package.
In addition, some provisions of the EU directive are missing, the Commission noted, adding that it has identified shortcomings in relation to public references to guilt, for example, when public authorities refer to a person as being guilty in public statements, and the availability of appropriate measures if this happens.
In the second reasoned opinion, the Commission said that the national rules of Croatia and several other member states are in violation of the EU law on package travel rights concerning the cancellation of travel arrangement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the right to get reimbursement in money prescribed by the EU law.
"During the coronavirus pandemic, many Member States adopted national rules allowing organisers of package travel to issue mandatory vouchers, instead of reimbursement in money for cancelled trips, or to postpone reimbursement far beyond the 14-day period, as set in the Package Travel Directive. Those national rules breach the provisions of this EU Directive and weaken consumer rights," the EU's executive body noted.
Croatia now has two months to reply and take the necessary measures to address the shortcomings identified by the Commission in the two reasoned opinions, otherwise the Commission may decide to take the matter to the Court of Justice of the EU.
In addition, the Commission called on Croatia to comply with the requirements on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe with regard to particulate matter, by sending it a letter of formal notice.
"In Croatia, available data show that the limit values for particulate matter (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are exceeded in several areas – the cities of Zagreb and Osijek as well as the industrial zone encompassing Slavonski Brod, while reports show that the measures taken to lower air pollution are not sufficient to keep exceedance periods as short as possible."
Croatia also received another letter of formal notice for failing to adopt a national programme for radioactive waste management compliant with the EU requirements.
The country now has two months to reply to the Commission on both letters, or face receiving reasoned opinions.