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HomeEuropean NewsBrussels steps in as German-Polish fish dying dispute unravels – EURACTIV.com

Brussels steps in as German-Polish fish dying dispute unravels – EURACTIV.com


Current mass fish deaths within the River Oder have taken a brand new flip following accusations that the Polish authorities had didn’t notify their German counterparts in accordance with an EU directive, making it a matter for Brussels.

Learn the unique German story right here.

In Germany, fishermen first observed the fish deaths on 9 August and reported it to the Brandenburg Environmental Company.

A sudden improve in water degree rise and salinity was additionally reported in rivers within the affected federal states.

However it’s now being steered that Polish authorities knew of the phenomenon on the finish of July, with studies of mass fish deaths within the Oder river on the Polish aspect.

Poland didn’t inform Germany of such incidents regardless of it being required to shortly inform affected nations beneath the EU Water Directive.

“In future, we should enhance the early detection of air pollution and take coordinated measures within the occasion of cross-border incidents,” stated EU Atmosphere Commissioner Virginius Sinkevičius after a phone name with German Atmosphere Minister Steffi Lemke on Tuesday (16 August).

“The chains, which had really been arrange theoretically for such accidents, didn’t work and, secondly, that the knowledge got here to Germany too late,” Lemke instructed broadcaster ZDF on Monday.

Potential breach of EU guidelines

The shortage of communication from Poland was slammed by Until Backhaus, the atmosphere minister of the German state that borders Poland, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

In an interview with broadcaster Deutchlandfunk radio, he stated he was “pissed off” at Poland for delaying informing him concerning the reported lifeless fish.

Brussels introduced that it will formally step in to seek out out extra about what brought about the “miscommunication”.

“We have now no definitive info on what the reason for the dying of those fish is,” stated European Fee spokesman Tim McPhie on Tuesday (16 August).

“Because the trigger will not be identified, we can’t say whether or not there’s an obligation to offer info beneath a particular directive,” the spokesperson stated.

Because it stays unclear what brought about the mass fish dying, the Polish aspect has already commissioned Polish laboratories, in addition to Czech, Dutch and English consultants to look into the trigger primarily based on samples from the Oder river, Polish Atmosphere Minister Anna Moskwa introduced on Tuesday.

Monitoring and cooperation

For now, the Polish aspect has denied any blame although the federal government is now trying to put money into floor water qc.

“I’ve determined to allocate PLN 250 million [€50 million] for the synchronisation and full digitalisation of the floor water high quality monitoring system throughout Poland,” the Polish minister stated on Twitter.

In the meantime, Sinkevičius has welcomed the institution of a joint job pressure of German and Polish consultants to make sure shut cooperation between the 2 nations in disaster administration conditions.

Lemke and her colleagues from Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania had agreed to convene a job pressure at a gathering with Moskva and Polish Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk in Szczecin on Sunday.

[Edited by Benjamin Fox]



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