EU urges Romania to close, rehabilitate illegal landfills

Under the Landfill Directive, EU member states must take the necessary measures to close and rehabilitate landfills which have not been granted permits, the Commission said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Waste Framework Directive mandates that member states recover and dispose of waste without endangering human health and the environment, prohibiting the abandonment, dumping, or uncontrolled disposal of waste.

Romania was required to adhere to the two directives with respect to 101 landfills. As the obligation was not fully met, the Commission sent a formal notice in October 2020, urging compliance. Subsequently, Romania closed and rehabilitated 92 landfills, with another five scheduled for closure and rehabilitation in the 2026-2028 period. The timeline for the remaining four landfills is uncertain, leading the Commission to issue the reasoned opinion.

Romania has two months to address the reasoned opinion and take the necessary measures, otherwise, the Commission may refer the case to the Court of Justice of the EU.