28.5.2005   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 132/3

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(First Chamber)

of 14 April 2005

in Case C-6/03 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Verwaltungsgericht Koblenz): Deponiezweckverband Eiterköpfe v Land Rheinland-Pfalz (1)

(Environment - Landfill of waste - Directive 1999/31 - Domestic legislation laying down more stringent rules - Compatibility)

(2005/C 132/05)

Language of the case: German

In Case C-6/03: reference for a preliminary ruling under Article 234 EC from the Verwaltungsgericht Koblenz (Germany), made by decision of 4 December 2002, received at the Court on 8 January 2003, in the proceedings pending before that court between Deponiezweckverband Eiterköpfe and Land Rheinland-Pfalz — the Court (First Chamber), composed of P. Jann, President of the Chamber, N. Colneric, J.N. Cunha Rodrigues (Rapporteur), M. Ilešič and E. Levits, Judges; D. Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer, Advocate General, K. Sztranc, Administrator, for the, Registrar, gave a judgment on 14 April 2005, the operative part of which is as follows:

1.

It is not contrary to Article 5(1) and (2) of Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste that a measure of domestic law should:

—

fix limits in respect of the acceptance of biodegradable waste for landfill lower than those fixed by the Directive, even if those limits are so low that they call for treatment by mechanical and biological processes or the incineration of such waste before it is landfilled,

—

fix earlier time-limits than those under the Directive in order to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill,

—

apply not only to biodegradable waste but also to non-biodegradable organic substances, and

—

apply not only to municipal waste but also to waste that may be disposed of as municipal waste.

2.

The Community-law principle of proportionality is not applicable so far as concerns more stringent protective measures of domestic law adopted by virtue of Article 176 EC and going beyond the minimum requirements laid down by a Community directive in the sphere of the environment, inasmuch as other provisions of the Treaty are not involved.

(1)  OJ C 101 of 26.04.2003.