The European Commission has decided to open or continue infringement proceedings against a number of member states for failing to provide important information on their efforts to fight climate change, said the commission on Thursday.

The commission is taking Luxembourg to the European Court of Justice for not providing sufficient information on its policies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and on its projected future emissions.

Seven member states, including Luxembourg, are to receive warnings for not communicating important technical information relating to their emission targets, while further eight member states are being sent first warnings for failing to submit national allocation plans under the EU (European Union) Emissions Trading Scheme.

"Reliable reporting by member states is a crucial part of our efforts to win the battle against climate change," said EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

Luxembourg is being taken to court as information on its policies and measures as well as its projections of future greenhouse gas emissions is needed for the commission to assess current and projected EU progress toward meeting the Kyoto Protocol emission targets, said the commission.

Under an EU decision on a monitoring mechanism for greenhouse gas emissions, member states were required to provide the information by March 15, 2005. Despite warnings from the commission, Luxembourg has provided no information, the commission said.

Seven member states have not provided a complete set of important technical information that is needed for establishing their permitted emission level in tons under the Kyoto Protocol, it said.

France, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania and Poland will receive first warning letters. Germany and Luxembourg already received first warning letters in April 2006 and will now receive final warning letters, said the commission.

The commission is sending first warning letters to eight member states for failing to submit national allocation plans for the second trading period of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

The member states concerned are Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

In national allocation plans, governments fix the total number of emission allowances -- putting a "cap" on total emissions -- and allocate them to individual installations covered by the emissions trading system.

Source: Xinhua