Last year the European Commission opened 40 new cases of non-compliance by Romania, up about 5% compared to 2019, when their number was 38, according to the Annual Report on monitoring the application of European Union law.

In total, in 2020 the Commission opened 903 new cases of non-compliance, increasing by 13% compared to 2019, when the number of new cases was 797.

Denmark, Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands have the fewest new cases of incorrect transposition or incorrect application of EU law in 2020, while Bulgaria, Italy, Malta and Greece have the most cases, according to Agerpres.

The report published on Friday, a document that shows how the European Commission monitored and ensured compliance with EU law in 2020, as well as the performance of Member States, mentions the infringement procedure launched in 2020 against Romania for restrictive measures that favored domestic food to the detriment of similar imported products, informs a press release of the Community Executive. The EC states that this case was closed after the Romanian authorities amended the law and lifted the restrictions.

At EU level, more than half of all 2020 infringement proceedings have been linked to the late transposition of directives. This number has increased significantly, from 406 cases in 2019 to 599 in 2020. The highest number of new cases of delayed transposition in the last five years was recorded in 2016 (847 cases).

In order to facilitate the correct and timely transposition, the European Commission continued to assist Member States by preparing guidance documents, setting up specific websites and exchanging best practices in expert group meetings or workshops.