Ireland could be hit by EU penalties for failing to withdraw from the energy charter treaty.
Despite an EU-wide decision to exit the treaty in 2024, the Irish government have failed to take any steps at all to withdraw, resulting in the EU launching proceedings against Ireland for non-compliance.
This failure to act has been sharply criticised by the Sinn Féin MEP for Dublin, Lynn Boylan, who described the decision as both reckless and cynical.
According to MEP Boylan, this decision is not only exposing the state to massive compensation claims from energy corporations, but also now runs the risk of being hit with EU penalties for failing to do what they said they would.
“The EU made the historic decision to leave this toxic treaty in 2024, yet the failure from the government here to take any steps to ensure Ireland follows that decision is now leaving us open to fines that put public money on the line.
“Their inaction makes no sense unless it’s understood as a cynical way to avoid scrutiny of attempts to lock Ireland into even more corporate courts by ratifying CETA.
“If Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were serious about helping people rather than protecting foreign investors, they would immediately withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty and abandon its plans to entrench investor courts through CETA.”
Note to editor:
See the EU Commissions infringement decisis – legal action against Member States that fail to comply with their obligations under EU law.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_26_115
