Brussels warns that it will use "all means at its disposal" if the Doñana irrigation law is approved

BRUSSELS, 20 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) -

The European Commission has warned that if the Andalusian Parliament approves the irrigation law in Doñana under the announced terms, it will use "all the means at its disposal" to guarantee that Spain complies "effectively and without delay" with the ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU that requires the protection of the wetland.

This was stated by the European Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevicius, in response to a parliamentary question registered by the Socialist MEPs César Luena and Javi López and which received a reply from Brussels in just three days.

In said response, the commissioner recalled that the Community Executive has already requested clarification from the Spanish authorities on this legislative proposal and has warned that, if approved in the terms announced, "it could contravene applicable Community environmental legislation".

For its part, it has indicated that it is up to Spain to adopt the necessary measures to comply with the CJEU ruling that obliges it to protect the Doñana wetland.

This is the latest position taken by the commissioner, who met this past Tuesday in Stockholm (Sweden), with the third vice-president and minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, to address concerns about this matter, while the Community Executive continues to examine the case in the framework of a disciplinary file opened against Spain for not complying with the first CJEU ruling that alerts of the irregular situation in Doñana.

Community sources have clarified to Europa Press that Brussels has yet to evaluate the formal information that the Government has sent this Thursday, as confirmed by Miteco sources, and that it takes into account explanations and reports sent by the Junta de Andalucía.