Cases / Waste management · Greece · 1999–2025
Zakynthos landfill inside the National Marine Park, Greece: CJEU C-600/12 (2014) and penalty judgment C-368/24 (2025)
Nature's voice · report
A landfill inside my Zakynthos Marine Park received waste until the end of 2017; on 9 October 2025 the Court of Justice ordered Greece to pay EUR 5,500,000 and EUR 12,500 a day until compliance. Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
Did nature suffer? Yes. Harm is on record.
Recorded
- A landfill inside my National Marine Park of Zakynthos, the habitat of the Caretta caretta sea turtle, was saturated, had uncovered waste and an unauthorised extension, and had leachate infiltrating toward the protected marine area of Laganas Bay, according to the Commission. Court of Justice of the European Union (EUR-Lex)
- The Court of Justice stated on 9 October 2025 that the infringement presented a significant risk to the environment and human health. Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
The Commission said a landfill inside the National Marine Park of Zakynthos had caused problems since 1999. The Court of Justice found Greece in breach on 17 July 2014 and, on 9 October 2025, ordered Greece to pay a lump sum of EUR 5,500,000 and a periodic penalty of EUR 12,500 per day until compliance.
EUR 5,500,000Lump sum ordered against Greece (C-368/24)
Plus a periodic penalty of EUR 12,500 per day from 9 October 2025 until compliance (Court of Justice press release No 131/25).
Plus a periodic penalty of EUR 12,500 per day from 9 October 2025 until compliance (Court of Justice press release No 131/25).
Status As of October 2026: the Court of Justice ordered a lump sum of EUR 5,500,000 and EUR 12,500 per day on 9 October 2025; compliance has not been confirmed.
What?
A landfill inside the Zakynthos National Marine Park, the habitat of the Caretta caretta sea turtle, was found by the Court of Justice in 2014 to place Greece in breach; in 2025 the Court ordered a lump sum and a daily penalty for non-compliance. Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
Where?
Inside the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, Greece, toward the protected marine area of Laganas Bay. Court of Justice of the European Union (EUR-Lex)
When?
Problems since 1999; judgment of 17 July 2014 (C-600/12); formal notice 2017; reference date 28 June 2017; new action 2024; judgment of 9 October 2025 (C-368/24). Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
Who?
Gained
None on recordLost
- Greece (Hellenic Republic) — Ordered to pay a lump sum of EUR 5,500,000 and EUR 12,500 per day from 9 October 2025 until compliance Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
Harmed
- Zakynthos National Marine Park and the protected marine area of Laganas Bay — Leachate infiltrating toward the protected marine area, according to the Commission; effects not measured in the judgments Court of Justice of the European Union (EUR-Lex)
Why?
The Court based the penalty on the seriousness of the infringement (a significant risk to the environment and human health), the number of earlier judgments against Greece on waste, the duration of the infringement and Greece's ability to pay. Greece's own account is not in the sources reviewed. Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
How?
The site was saturated, with uncovered waste, leachate and an unauthorised extension (Commission). After the 2014 judgment Greece had neither drawn up a development plan nor decommissioned the landfill by 28 June 2017, and it received waste until the end of 2017; the Commission brought a second action and the Court imposed financial penalties. Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
6 of 6 questions answered from the record
What happened
The record, in order.
The Commission said that a landfill inside the National Marine Park of Zakynthos had caused problems since 1999: a saturated site, uncovered waste, leachate infiltrating toward the protected marine area of Laganas Bay, and an unauthorised extension. In Case C-600/12 (ECLI:EU:C:2014:2086) the Court of Justice found Greece in breach on 17 July 2014. The Court's press release of 9 October 2025 describes the park as "the habitat of the 'Caretta caretta' sea turtle".
Correspondence between the Commission and Greece followed from 2014 to 2023. The Commission sent a letter of formal notice in 2017 and brought a new action in 2024 (Case C-368/24). According to the Court's press release, by the reference date of 28 June 2017 Greece had neither drawn up a development plan for the landfill nor decommissioned it, and the landfill continued to receive waste until the end of 2017.
On 9 October 2025 the Court of Justice ordered Greece to pay a lump sum of EUR 5,500,000 and a periodic penalty payment of EUR 12,500 per day from 9 October 2025 until compliance. The Court based the amounts on the seriousness of the infringement (a significant risk to the environment and human health), the number of earlier judgments against Greece on waste, the duration of the infringement and Greece's ability to pay.
As of October 2026 the penalties had been ordered and compliance had not been confirmed in the sources reviewed. The judgments do not measure effects on the turtle population or the marine area.
- 1999Problems at the landfill inside the Marine Park begin, according to the Commission
- 2014Court of Justice finds Greece in breach in C-600/12 (17 July)
- 2017Commission sends a letter of formal notice; reference date 28 June: no development plan and landfill not decommissioned; landfill receives waste until the end of the year
- 2023Correspondence between the Commission and Greece, which began in 2014, continues to this year
- 2024Commission brings a new action (C-368/24)
- 2025Court of Justice judgment in C-368/24 (9 October): lump sum EUR 5,500,000 and periodic penalty EUR 12,500 per day
What was said
Claims, in the words of those who made them.
“the habitat of the 'Caretta caretta' sea turtle”
How it looked
What was shown, beside what was recorded.
Shown
Recorded
- The Commission said the landfill inside the Marine Park had caused problems since 1999: a saturated site, uncovered waste, leachate infiltrating toward the Laganas Bay protected marine area and an unauthorised extension.
- The Court of Justice found Greece in breach on 17 July 2014 (C-600/12).
- By the reference date of 28 June 2017 Greece had neither drawn up a development plan for the landfill nor decommissioned it; the landfill continued to receive waste until the end of 2017.
- On 9 October 2025 (C-368/24) the Court ordered a lump sum of EUR 5,500,000 and a periodic penalty of EUR 12,500 per day from 9 October 2025 until compliance, based on the seriousness of the infringement (a significant risk to the environment and human health), the number of earlier judgments against Greece on waste, the duration of the infringement and Greece's ability to pay.
Who gained
Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.
Reached nature or the ground
Not published
No figure published.
Gained elsewhere
Not totalled
Lump sum ordered against Greece in C-368/24€5.5m
Periodic penalty payment ordered against Greece in C-368/24—
EUR 12,500 per day.
Currency: EUR · Window: From 9 October 2025. All figures cover the same period. * Estimate built from cited figures.
In court and with insurers
Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2014-07-17Claimant wonCommission v Hellenic Republic, Case C-600/12 (ECLI:EU:C:2014:2086): landfill in the Zakynthos National Marine ParkCourt of Justice of the European Union · International court · European Commission → Hellenic Republic
The Commission said the landfill inside the Marine Park had caused problems since 1999 (saturated site, uncovered waste, leachate infiltrating toward the Laganas Bay protected marine area, an unauthorised extension). The Court found Greece in breach on 17 July 2014. Court of Justice of the European Union (EUR-Lex)
- 2024–2025-10-09Claimant won€5.5m lump sum EUR 5,500,000, plus EUR 12,500 per day from 9 October 2025 until complianceCommission v Greece, Case C-368/24: penalty payments for failure to comply with C-600/12Court of Justice of the European Union · International court · European Commission → Greece
The Commission sent a letter of formal notice in 2017 and brought a new action in 2024. By the reference date of 28 June 2017 Greece had neither drawn up a development plan for the landfill nor decommissioned it, and the landfill continued to receive waste until the end of 2017. On 9 October 2025 the Court ordered a lump sum of EUR 5,500,000 and a periodic penalty of EUR 12,500 per day until compliance, based on the seriousness of the infringement, the number of earlier judgments against Greece on waste, the duration of the infringement and Greece's ability to pay. Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia)
Insurers
No insurer decision on record.
What nature saw
Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
Landfill status at the reference date (28 June 2017)
No development plan; not decommissioned
Court of Justice press release No 131/25
Waste intake
Until the end of 2017
The landfill continued to receive waste (Court of Justice press release No 131/25)
Effect on the turtle population or marine area
Not measured
Not measured in the judgments
What we don't know
Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Money
- None on record Periodic penalty payment ordered against Greece in C-368/24 — EUR 12,500 per day.
Record
- Not measured Not measured: effects of the landfill on the turtle population or the protected marine area are not measured in the judgments.
- None on record Not on record: the current state of landfill rehabilitation.
- None on record Not on record: whether the daily penalty is accruing.
- None on record Not on record: confirmation that Greece has complied with the judgment of 9 October 2025.
Did the harm stop?
By 28 June 2017 Greece had neither drawn up a development plan nor decommissioned the landfill, which continued to receive waste until the end of 2017. As of October 2026 the sources reviewed do not confirm decommissioning, rehabilitation or compliance with the 2025 judgment.
Who paid?
The Court of Justice ordered Greece to pay a lump sum of EUR 5,500,000 and a periodic penalty of EUR 12,500 per day from 9 October 2025 until compliance. Whether payments have been made is not on record.
Sources
Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators✓ Courts— Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers
Courts
- Judgment of the Court of 17 July 2014, Case C-600/12 (ECLI:EU:C:2014:2086)Court of Justice of the European Union (EUR-Lex) · 2014-07-17
- Press Release No 131/25: judgment in Case C-368/24, Commission v Greece (Zakynthos landfill)Court of Justice of the European Union (Curia) · 2025-10-09
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