Trend in new infringement procedures

Between 2014 and 2018, almost 4000 of these letters were dispatched, with an average of 796 per year. The trend is declining, with the lowest number of annual notices during this period occurring in 2018. After a peak in 2016, the number has fallen constantly.

An infringement procedure can be launched for three different reasons: non-communication: when the member state has failed to communicate its transposition measures to the Commission on time;  non-application: when the European Commission finds that the member state’s legislation is not in line with European legislation; misapplication: when European law is not applied, or is applied incorrectly, by the member state;