Action brought on 18.11.2005 by Commission against the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

(Case C-405/05)

(2006/C 48/22)

Language of the case: English

An action against the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was brought before the Court of Justice of the European Communities on 18.11.2005 by the Commission, represented by Sara Pardo Quintillan, Xavier Lewis and Hubert van Vliet, acting as Agents, with an address for service in Luxembourg.

The applicant claims that the Court should:

Pleas in law and main arguments

The Commission is of the view that the failure by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to ensure adequate treatment is provided for the entirety of the waste water discharges produced in the agglomerations of Bangor, Broadstairs, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Londonderry, Larne, Lerwick, Margate, Newtonabbey, Omagh, Brighton, Portrush, Donaghdee and Bideford/ Northam is in breach of Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 3, of the directive. Furthermore, the failure to control substantial new developments in the agglomerations of Portrush, Newtonabbey, Bangor, Londonderry and Larne or to ensure that their approval is accompanied by mitigating measures is exacerbating the breaches of the aforementioned articles of the Directive in these five agglomerations.

(1)  Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment OJ L 135, 30.05.1991 P. 40 - 52