They operate very slowly, particularly when an infringement of Community law is involved.

This role is also reflected in the number of complaints made by citizens about infringements of Community law.

We are also going to communicate the Commission's grounds for deciding that no infringement of Community law has taken place.

I need only remind you that most infringements of Community law are only discovered as the result of the complaints system.

The problem lies in determining whether or not, at this stage of the process, this reference constitutes an infringement of Community law.

It is also the first time the Commission has adopted public rules on how to deal with infringements of Community law by Member States.

That includes the proceedings for infringement of Community law, where intervention in ongoing proceedings is permitted: this does not benefit the public, either.

That would not be helpful, but rather would constitute a further infringement of Community law, this time from within the European Union.

The ruling stated that, given identical qualifications, it was an infringement of Community law for female candidates automatically to be given preference.

(PL) Mr President, complaints submitted by citizens are an important source of information about infringements of Community law.

As regards the so-called national method, which means the right of the states to make provision for criminal sanctions for cases of infringement of Community law, this does not create problems.

I think that the issues I have raised constitute grounds for investigating levels of infringement of Community law and poor administration and, consequently, for establishing a committee of inquiry.

However, where cases raise questions of European law, the Commission takes its role as guardian of the Treaties seriously, where we establish whether there are infringements of Community law.

Mr President, the Commission is pleased to note that Mrs Fourtou's draft report welcomes the communication on relations with the complainant in respect of infringements of Community law.

You said, literally, that we should leave this to the Italian authorities, but how can you say so, when the investigation specifically concerns a possible infringement of Community law by the Italian authorities?

We cannot endorse the criticism made of the Commission for referring in its study to practical examples of what it considers to be infringements of Community law in cases which are still pending.

It is regrettable that, in the case of Member States, this cooperation is somewhat grudging, particularly when the complainant alleges infringement of Community law by the Member State in question.

My group is of the opinion that the Commission communication is a step in the right direction, since it recognises how important the role of complainant is in the exposure of infringements of Community law.

Consequently, as we acknowledge such an obligation on the part of the states, we should also acknowledge the Community legislator's capacity to make provision for similar obligations, at least for serious infringements of Community law.

The Court may issue an injunction if it finds that there is an urgent need to prevent irreparable damage as a result of blatant infringement of Community law for which there is prima facie evidence.

This would be a very serious mistake, because a reduction in the power of petitions means a reduction in the power of citizens, of complaints and of the handling of infringements of Community law.

Fully aligned with the philosophy of the ?U, the report maintains that the Community should have the facility to force the Member States to impose specific criminal sanctions in the event of infringements of Community law.

It is now compulsory to indicate clearly how information can be obtained, such as information on the state of progress of proceedings for infringement of Community law and to make information available by assessing the outcome of various consultations.

In addition to this there are the hundreds, thousands even, of petitions that the Parliament receives each year and that often refer to specific infringements of Community law, against which citizens feel helpless and therefore turn to Parliament.

A proposal which, if adopted, would I think be hugely important: we need, subject to certain requirements, to introduce an injunctions procedure so that an immediate stop can be put to any incipient infringements of Community law which threaten to wreak irreparable damage on the natural environment or our cultural heritage.