The first infringement procedure concerns air pollution. The EU’s executive body sent Lithuania a letter of formal notice for failing to correctly incorporate the Directive on limiting emissions of certain pollutants into the air from medium combustion plants into its national legislation.
Lithuania has two months to respond and adopt measures to improve the transposition of the directive. If the response is unsatisfactory, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion to Austria.
The second infringement case was opened after Lithuania failed to meet its waste collection and recycling targets and concerns the application of the Waste Framework Directive and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
"The minimum collection rate to be achieved annually by the member states is 65% of the average weight of electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market in the three preceding years in the member state concerned, or alternatively 85% of WEEE generated on the territory of that Member State," the EU Commission said.
Agnė Kazlauskaitė, deputy head of the European Commission’s Representation in Lithuania, told Delfi that the Commission neither comments on the progress of a country nor speculate on further steps during the infringement case.
"Around 90% of all infringement cases EU member states fulfill their obligations under EU law before the case is referred to the EU Court of Justice," the official said.
The Ministry of the Environment told the news website that Lithuania has responded to the European Commission’s official letters and has taken steps, including law changes, to address the shortcomings.